2 Timothy 4 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: LOOK INTO GOD’S FACE

Would you like to see God? Take a look at Jesus. Hebrews 1:3 says, “Jesus radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God.” In John 14:9 Jesus himself said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Anyone who has seen me weep has seen the Father weep. Anyone who has seen me laugh has seen the Father laugh. Anyone who has seen me determined has seen the Father determined.

Everything changes when we see the face of God. He came with tears, too. He knows the burden of a broken heart. He knows the sorrow life can bring. He could have come as a shining light or a voice in the clouds, but he came as a person. Does God understand you? Look into God’s face and be assured. Find the answer in Bethlehem.

2 Timothy 4

 I can’t impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule, so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.

3-5 You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant.

6-8 You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar. This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, he’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming.

9-13 Get here as fast as you can. Demas, chasing fads, went off to Thessalonica and left me here. Crescens is in Galatia province, Titus in Dalmatia. Luke is the only one here with me. Bring Mark with you; he’ll be my right-hand man since I’m sending Tychicus to Ephesus. Bring the winter coat I left in Troas with Carpus; also the books and parchment notebooks.

14-15 Watch out for Alexander the coppersmith. Fiercely opposed to our Message, he caused no end of trouble. God will give him what he’s got coming.

16-18 At my preliminary hearing no one stood by me. They all ran like scared rabbits. But it doesn’t matter—the Master stood by me and helped me spread the Message loud and clear to those who had never heard it. I was snatched from the jaws of the lion! God’s looking after me, keeping me safe in the kingdom of heaven. All praise to him, praise forever! Oh, yes!

19-20 Say hello to Priscilla and Aquila; also, the family of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed behind in Corinth. I had to leave Trophimus sick in Miletus.

21 Try hard to get here before winter.

Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all your friends here send greetings.

22 God be with you. Grace be with you.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Friday, December 11, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:

Isaiah 44:9–11, 21–23

All who make idols are nothing,
    and the things they treasure are worthless.
Those who would speak up for them are blind;
    they are ignorant, to their own shame.
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,
    which can profit nothing?
11 People who do that will be put to shame;
    such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
    they will be brought down to terror and shame.

“Remember these things, Jacob,
    for you, Israel, are my servant.
I have made you, you are my servant;
    Israel, I will not forget you.
22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
    your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me,
    for I have redeemed you.”

23 Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this;
    shout aloud, you earth beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,
    you forests and all your trees,
for the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
    he displays his glory in Israel.

Insight
The prophet Isaiah is foremost among Israel’s prophets. His book is the longest of the prophetic books and covers a huge sweep of Israel’s coming experiences. Isaiah contains more messianic prophecies than any other Old Testament prophet. It’s also one of the most quoted Old Testament books in the New Testament, referenced more than sixty times, with twenty-five of those found in the Gospels. The most quoted portions of Isaiah are the four “suffering servant songs” (42:1–4; 49:1–6; 50:4–7; and especially 52:13–53:12), which believers in Jesus see as being fulfilled in Christ and His suffering on the cross. In addition to the prophecies of Jesus’ sacrificial death, some of Isaiah’s most beloved prophecies are those of His birth, including Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6.

Morning Mist
I have swept away your offenses . . . like the morning mist. Isaiah 44:22

One morning I visited a pond near my house. I sat on an overturned boat, thinking and watching a gentle west wind chase a layer of mist across the water’s surface. Wisps of fog circled and swirled. Mini “tornadoes” rose up and then exhausted themselves. Before long, the sunlight cut through the clouds and the mist disappeared.

This scene comforted me because I connected it with a verse I’d just read: “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist” (Isaiah 44:22). I visited the place hoping to distract myself from a series of sinful thoughts I’d been preoccupied with for days. Although I was confessing them, I began to wonder if God would forgive me when I repeated the same sin.

That morning, I knew the answer was yes. Through His prophet Isaiah, God showed grace to the Israelites when they struggled with the ongoing problem of idol worship. Although He told them to stop chasing false gods, God also invited them back to Himself, saying, “I have made you, you are my servant; . . . I will not forget you” (v. 21).

I don’t fully grasp forgiveness like that, but I do understand that God’s grace is the only thing that can dissolve our sin completely and heal us from it. I’m thankful His grace is endless and divine like He is, and that it’s available whenever we need it. By:  Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Reflect & Pray
How is it possible to abuse God’s grace? What steps can you take to break free of sinful habits and experience His forgiveness?

Dear God, thank You for Your gracious presence in my life. I don’t want to live in habitual sin. Help me to feel the freedom that comes when I confess my sin and You erase it completely.

Read Grace: Accepting God’s Gift to You at DiscoverySeries.org/Q0613.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, December 11, 2020
Individuality

Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…" —Matthew 16:24

Individuality is the hard outer layer surrounding the inner spiritual life. Individuality shoves others aside, separating and isolating people. We see it as the primary characteristic of a child, and rightly so. When we confuse individuality with the spiritual life, we remain isolated. This shell of individuality is God’s created natural covering designed to protect the spiritual life. But our individuality must be yielded to God so that our spiritual life may be brought forth into fellowship with Him. Individuality counterfeits spirituality, just as lust counterfeits love. God designed human nature for Himself, but individuality corrupts that human nature for its own purposes.

The characteristics of individuality are independence and self-will. We hinder our spiritual growth more than any other way by continually asserting our individuality. If you say, “I can’t believe,” it is because your individuality is blocking the way; individuality can never believe. But our spirit cannot help believing. Watch yourself closely when the Spirit of God is at work in you. He pushes you to the limits of your individuality where a choice must be made. The choice is either to say, “I will not surrender,” or to surrender, breaking the hard shell of individuality, which allows the spiritual life to emerge. The Holy Spirit narrows it down every time to one thing (see Matthew 5:23-24). It is your individuality that refuses to “be reconciled to your brother” (Matthew 5:24). God wants to bring you into union with Himself, but unless you are willing to give up your right to yourself, He cannot. “…let him deny himself…”— deny his independent right to himself. Then the real life-the spiritual life-is allowed the opportunity to grow.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Re-state to yourself what you believe, then do away with as much of it as possible, and get back to the bedrock of the Cross of Christ.  My Utmost for His Highest, November 25, 848 R

Bible in a Year: Hosea 5-8; Revelation 2

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, December 11, 2020
Getting in on What God is Doing - #8850

Our son-in-law's piano recital was like his final exam. He was a music major in college, and his recital was an important part of his finishing well. I taught him all I knew about playing the piano, of course, which was how to find "middle C." Actually, he had become an accomplished musician - something that was evident to everybody who attended that senior recital - Including us. At the end, there was quite a line of people congratulating him on his great performance. But strangely, there was no one complimenting the piano, "Wonderful concert, Mr. Steinway. You are awesome." No, it was only the one who played the music that deserved the praise.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Getting in on What God is Doing."

Yes, the piano played an important part in the recital, but it was only an instrument. So am I. So are you. Just listen to our word for today from the Word of God in Philippians 2:13 "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Key words: "It is God"! Any good work we do is really God doing it through us, not us doing it for God. You and I? We're just instruments.

The prophet Isaiah put it this way: "All that we have accomplished You have done for us." The first-century believers in Corinth were choosing up sides based on whether they liked Paul or Apollos best. Paul said to them: "What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe, as the Lord has assigned to each his task" (1 Corinthians 3:5). See, all praise goes to the artist, not to the instrument.

It is God. We speak the words He gives us, we serve in the power He provides, and we go through doors He has opened. What does that mean in practical terms? There's no room for conceit, there's no room for boasting, there's no room for retreat. At the point where you're starting to get a little inflated, slightly impressed with yourself, remember the words of one of God's greatest instruments, Paul. "What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" (1 Corinthians 4:7)

The test of your ability to be trusted by God with exploits for Him is who they're thinking about when you're done. Are they saying, "He/she is a great speaker, a great worker, a great leader, a great musician." Or are they saying, "He has/she has a great Savior." You're only the piano. You have no business stealing glory from the artist who just played His music through you. There's no excuse for conceit.

But there's also no excuse for retreat, as in saying, "I'm inadequate to do what I've been asked to do for the Lord. I'm not up to it." That's retreating from an assignment your Lord is calling you to take. But since when is it about you anyway? It's about what He can do, not what you can do! Paul said, "Not that we are competent in ourselves ... but our competence comes from God. He made us competent..." (2 Corinthians 3:5-6). You can dare to step up to that challenge that's too big for you because you are only an instrument.

The one thing you can do is to make sure you're tuned up so He can play His music through you. Paul said a person who cleanses himself will "be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work" (2 Timothy 2:21). Okay, so here's your job description: stay pure and show up! You're the glove. You're not the hand. You're the instrument, not the artist.

But with God playing through you, your life can touch countless others with His music. Conceit - pride - will disqualify you; retreat will let fear keep you from the thrill of God working through you. Surrender to your Lord to be His instrument for His purposes and watch what He does with your life!

Ezekiel 21, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: JESUS GETS YOU

A friend of mine asked her students to make a list of questions they would like to ask Mary. “What was Jesus’ first word?” “Did he ever get sick?” “Did Jesus ever misbehave?” All legitimate questions, and the fact that we can ask them raises a greater one: why did God go so far? Why did He become a human being? A chief reason – he wants you to know that he gets you.

The Bible says in the book of Hebrews He understands how you feel and has faced what you face. Jesus has been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. Because of Bethlehem, you can boldly go to him.

Ezekiel 21

A Sword! A Sword!

God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, now face Jerusalem and let the Message roll out against the Sanctuary. Prophesy against the land of Israel. Say, ‘God’s Message: I’m against you. I’m pulling my sword from its sheath and killing both the wicked and the righteous. Because I’m treating everyone the same, good and bad, everyone from south to north is going to feel my sword! Everyone will know that I mean business.’

6 “So, son of man, groan! Double up in pain. Make a scene!

7 “When they ask you, ‘Why all this groaning, this carrying on?’ say, ‘Because of the news that’s coming. It’ll knock the breath out of everyone. Hearts will stop cold, knees turn to rubber. Yes, it’s coming. No stopping it. Decree of God, the Master.’”

8-10 God’s Message to me: “Son of man, prophesy. Tell them, ‘The Master says:

“‘A sword! A sword!
    razor-sharp and polished,
Sharpened to kill,
    polished to flash like lightning!

“‘My child, you’ve despised the scepter of Judah
    by worshiping every tree-idol.

11 “‘The sword is made to glisten,
    to be held and brandished.
It’s sharpened and polished,
    ready to be brandished by the killer.’

12 “Yell out and wail, son of man.
    The sword is against my people!
The princes of Israel
    and my people—abandoned to the sword!
Wring your hands!
    Tear out your hair!

13 “‘Testing comes.
    Why have you despised discipline?
You can’t get around it.
    Decree of God, the Master.’

14-17 “So, prophesy, son of man!
    Clap your hands. Get their attention.
Tell them that the sword’s coming down
    once, twice, three times.
It’s a sword to kill,
    a sword for a massacre,
A sword relentless,
    a sword inescapable—
People collapsing right and left,
    going down like dominoes.
I’ve stationed a murderous sword
    at every gate in the city,
Flashing like lightning,
    brandished murderously.
Cut to the right, thrust to the left,
    murderous, sharp-edged sword!
Then I’ll clap my hands,
    a signal that my anger is spent.
        I, God, have spoken.”

18-22 God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, lay out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take. Start them from the same place. Place a signpost at the beginning of each road. Post one sign to mark the road of the sword to Rabbah of the Ammonites. Post the other to mark the road to Judah and Fort Jerusalem. The king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road and he decides by divination which of the two roads to take. He draws straws, he throws god-dice, he examines a goat liver. He opens his right hand: The omen says, ‘Head for Jerusalem!’ So he’s on his way with battering rams, roused to kill, sounding the battle cry, pounding down city gates, building siege works.

23 “To the Judah leaders, who themselves have sworn oaths, it will seem like a false divination, but he will remind them of their guilt, and so they’ll be captured.

24 “So this is what God, the Master, says: ‘Because your sin is now out in the open so everyone can see what you’ve been doing, you’ll be taken captive.

25-27 “‘O Zedekiah, blasphemous and evil prince of Israel: Time’s up. It’s “punishment payday.” God says, Take your royal crown off your head. No more “business as usual.” The underdog will be promoted and the top dog will be demoted. Ruins, ruins, ruins! I’ll turn the whole place into ruins. And ruins it will remain until the one comes who has a right to it. Then I’ll give it to him.’

28-32 “But, son of man, your job is to prophesy. Tell them, ‘This is the Message from God, the Master, against the Ammonites and against their cruel taunts:

“‘A sword! A sword!
    Bared to kill,
Sharp as a razor,
    flashing like lightning.
Despite false sword propaganda
    circulated in Ammon,
The sword will sever Ammonite necks,
    for whom it’s punishment payday.
Return the sword to the sheath! I’ll judge you in your home country,
    in the land where you grew up.
I’ll empty out my wrath on you,
    breathe hot anger down your neck.
I’ll give you to vicious men
    skilled in torture.
You’ll end up as stove-wood.
    Corpses will litter your land.
Not so much as a memory will be left of you.
    I, God, have said so.’”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Thursday, December 10, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:

Philippians 2:6–11

Who, being in very nature[a] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Insight
In Philippians 2, Paul uses the word humility only in reference to Jesus’ death (v. 8). Though certainly Christ’s taking on human form was an act of humility, death was the ultimate act of humility for the second person of the Trinity, who is eternal and everlasting.

Paul says Jesus “humbled himself” (v. 8). It’s interesting to note the reflexive language used here. Jesus wasn’t humbled by death; He willingly humbled Himself in obedience so he could die. Because He humbled Himself, God restored Him to the place of honor from which He came. Jesus is the one to whom all creation will bend its knee (v. 10).

The True Servant
Being found in appearance as a man, [Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:8

In 27 bc, the Roman ruler Octavian came before the Senate to lay down his powers. He’d won a civil war, become the sole ruler of that region of the world, and was functioning like an emperor. Yet he knew such power was viewed suspiciously. So Octavian renounced his powers before the Senate, vowing to simply be an appointed official. Their response? The Roman Senate honored the ruler by crowning him with a civic crown and naming him the servant of the Roman people. He was also given the name Augustus—the “great one.”

Paul wrote of Jesus emptying Himself and taking on the form of a servant. Augustus appeared to do the same. Or had he? Augustus only acted like he was surrendering his power but was doing it for his own gain. Jesus “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). Death on a Roman cross was the worst form of humiliation and shame.

Today, a primary reason people praise “servant leadership” as a virtue is because of Jesus. Humility wasn’t a Greek or Roman virtue. Because Jesus died on the cross for us, He’s the true Servant. He’s the true Savior.

Christ became a servant in order to save us. He “made himself nothing” (v. 7) so that we could receive something truly great—the gift of salvation and eternal life. By:  Glenn Packiam

Reflect & Pray
Why is it true that we’re never out of God’s reach? What does it mean for you to know that Jesus is the Servant who suffered and died in order to save you?

Dear Jesus, thank You for giving Your life for me. Your servanthood wasn’t a show but the reality of Your love for me. Fill my heart with love and gratitude today.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Thursday, December 10, 2020
The Offering of the Natural

It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. —Galatians 4:22

Paul was not dealing with sin in this chapter of Galatians, but with the relation of the natural to the spiritual. The natural can be turned into the spiritual only through sacrifice. Without this a person will lead a divided life. Why did God demand that the natural must be sacrificed? God did not demand it. It is not God’s perfect will, but His permissive will. God’s perfect will was for the natural to be changed into the spiritual through obedience. Sin is what made it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed.

Abraham had to offer up Ishmael before he offered up Isaac (see Genesis 21:8-14). Some of us are trying to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God before we have sacrificed the natural. The only way we can offer a spiritual sacrifice to God is to “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice…” (Romans 12:1). Sanctification means more than being freed from sin. It means the deliberate commitment of myself to the God of my salvation, and being willing to pay whatever it may cost.

If we do not sacrifice the natural to the spiritual, the natural life will resist and defy the life of the Son of God in us and will produce continual turmoil. This is always the result of an undisciplined spiritual nature. We go wrong because we stubbornly refuse to discipline ourselves physically, morally, or mentally. We excuse ourselves by saying, “Well, I wasn’t taught to be disciplined when I was a child.” Then discipline yourself now! If you don’t, you will ruin your entire personal life for God.

God is not actively involved with our natural life as long as we continue to pamper and gratify it. But once we are willing to put it out in the desert and are determined to keep it under control, God will be with it. He will then provide wells and oases and fulfill all His promises for the natural (see Genesis 21:15-19).

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Our danger is to water down God’s word to suit ourselves. God never fits His word to suit me; He fits me to suit His word. Not Knowing Whither, 901 R

Bible in a Year: Hosea 1-4; Revelation 1

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Thursday, December 10, 2020
So Many Promises - #8849

Politicians - promises. They're almost synonyms. And, man, we've been through the election campaigns. And, of course, you know, we're probably on promise overload! You get it from the time they declare their candidacy. "He broke his promise!" "He can't keep that promise!" "If I'm elected, I promise..."

Elections raise hopes. Reality often crushes them, doesn't it? The promises often seem to get swept away and trashed with the victory celebration confetti. Fact is, no politician keeps all their promises. Sometimes, well, because they never meant to, sometimes because of unforeseen circumstances, and often just because he/she simply doesn't have the power to deliver what they promised.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "So Many Promises."

Now, it's not just politicians. Look, we parents make a lot of promises - too many of which we either forget, neglect or just fail to keep. The promis-er may forget. The promis-ee never does. Most of us can still remember, like years later, the parents' promises that never happened.

We make promises at work, at church, to friends. Raising expectations, and then dashing them by never following through. We lose what takes years to gain and just a day to lose - trust. We shake our heads in disgust at the politicians' words that seem so hollow in light of their broken promises. Forgetting the "trail of tears" that we ourselves have left with the things we said but never did.

I stood before an altar years ago and made some of the biggest promises of my life. I told the woman I loved - and, more importantly, I told God - that I would love and care for her and be committed to her "'til death do us part." She staked her life on my promise, and the Lord, in the Bible's words, was "acting as the witness" of my "marriage covenant." That's what the book of Malachi says (Malachi 2:14). I found myself listening again and then again to those promises I made that day to try to be sure I was keeping them.

I learned the hard way, that in every relationship, you think before you promise. And do whatever it takes to deliver when you do promise. Now, our word for today from the Word of God, Ecclesiastes 5 beginning in verse 5 says this: "It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin." King David described the man God will honor as one who "keeps his oath even when it hurts" (Psalm 15:4).

After so many soaring speeches in political campaigns, I wrote these words in my personal journal: "A political season shows that humans promise what they ultimately lack the power to deliver, and hopes are dashed. But my hope is based on a Savior who, by beating death, has shown me He can do anything and everything He has promised!" Man, that's awesome!

Well, He promised, "My God will supply all your needs" (Philippians 4:19). And in a thousand amazing ways, He always has. He said, "Your strength will equal your days" (Deuteronomy 33:25), and there's never been a day He didn't deliver. He promised "they who honor Me I will honor" (1 Samuel 2:30), and He's come through every time I've risked to do the right thing. He told me, "I am the Lord your God who directs you in the way you should go" (Isaiah 48:17), and He's done it at every crossroads.

I'm sure, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that He will keep the promise on which my eternity rests, "God has given us eternal life, this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life...you who believe in the name of the Son of God...know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:11-13).

I have no fear of death. I have no doubt about heaven, because I've put my trust in the only One who can forgive my sins - the One who died for them. I trust in the only One who can give me eternal life - the One who walked out of His grave. And He waits to do that for you. In a world of littered promises, this Jesus will deliver the life and eternity He promised if you'll grab Him today with all your trust like a drowning person grabs a lifeguard.

Our website is there to help you do that. I hope you'll go there today. It's ANewStory.com. You can plant both your feet on His promises and you'll know He'll deliver. He has no unforeseen circumstances. He cannot lie. And nothing is too hard for the Lord.

Ezekiel 20, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: THE STORY OF A BABY

If you want to see people on the edge of insanity, just watch the way families treat their babies at Christmastime. The poor child has no warning. Red furry stocking cap, goofy elfish shoes that curl at the toes. And the pictures we take! Baby snoozing under tree, baby on Santa’s lap, Santa with wet spot on lap.

Is not the Christmas story the story of a baby? The moment that shaped all others. Mary’s eyes falling on the face of her just-born son. The first to whisper, “So this is what God looks like.” Never in mankind’s wildest imaginings did we consider that God would enter the world as an infant. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Would you like to see God? Well then take a look at the baby Jesus.

Ezekiel 20

Get Rid of All the Things You’ve Become Addicted To

 In the seventh year, the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, some of the leaders of Israel came to ask for guidance from God. They sat down before me.

2-3 Then God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, talk with the leaders of Israel. Tell them, ‘God, the Master, says, “Have you come to ask me questions? As sure as I am the living God, I’ll not put up with questions from you. Decree of God, the Master.”’

4-5 “Son of man, why don’t you do it? Yes, go ahead. Hold them accountable. Confront them with the outrageous obscenities of their parents. Tell them that God, the Master, says:

5-6 “‘On the day I chose Israel, I revealed myself to them in the country of Egypt, raising my hand in a solemn oath to the people of Jacob, in which I said, “I am God, your personal God.” On the same day that I raised my hand in the solemn oath, I promised them that I would take them out of the country of Egypt and bring them into a country that I had searched out just for them, a country flowing with milk and honey, a jewel of a country.

7 “‘At that time I told them, “Get rid of all the vile things that you’ve become addicted to. Don’t make yourselves filthy with the Egyptian no-god idols. I alone am God, your God.”

8-10 “‘But they rebelled against me, wouldn’t listen to a word I said. None got rid of the vile things they were addicted to. They held on to the no-gods of Egypt as if for dear life. I seriously considered inflicting my anger on them in force right there in Egypt. Then I thought better of it. I acted out of who I was, not by how I felt. And I acted in a way that would evoke honor, not blasphemy, from the nations around them, nations who had seen me reveal myself by promising to lead my people out of Egypt. And then I did it: I led them out of Egypt into the desert.

11-12 “‘I gave them laws for living, showed them how to live well and obediently before me. I also gave them my weekly holy rest days, my “Sabbaths,” a kind of signpost erected between me and them to show them that I, God, am in the business of making them holy.

13-17 “‘But Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They didn’t follow my statutes. They despised my laws for living well and obediently in the ways I had set out. And they totally desecrated my holy Sabbaths. I seriously considered unleashing my anger on them right there in the desert. But I thought better of it and acted out of who I was, not by what I felt, so that I might be honored and not blasphemed by the nations who had seen me bring them out. But I did lift my hand in a solemn oath there in the desert and promise them that I would not bring them into the country flowing with milk and honey that I had chosen for them, that jewel among all lands. I canceled my promise because they despised my laws for living obediently, wouldn’t follow my statutes, and went ahead and desecrated my holy Sabbaths. They preferred living by their no-god idols. But I didn’t go all the way: I didn’t wipe them out, didn’t finish them off in the desert.

18-20 “‘Then I addressed myself to their children in the desert: “Don’t do what your parents did. Don’t take up their practices. Don’t make yourselves filthy with their no-god idols. I myself am God, your God: Keep my statutes and live by my laws. Keep my Sabbaths as holy rest days, signposts between me and you, signaling that I am God, your God.”

21-22 “‘But the children also rebelled against me. They neither followed my statutes nor kept my laws for living upright and well. And they desecrated my Sabbaths. I seriously considered dumping my anger on them, right there in the desert. But I thought better of it and acted out of who I was, not by what I felt, so that I might be honored and not blasphemed by the nations who had seen me bring them out.

23-26 “‘But I did lift my hand in solemn oath there in the desert, and swore that I would scatter them all over the world, disperse them every which way because they didn’t keep my laws nor live by my statutes. They desecrated my Sabbaths and remained addicted to the no-god idols of their parents. Since they were determined to live bad lives, I myself gave them statutes that could not produce goodness and laws that did not produce life. I abandoned them. Filthy in the gutter, they perversely sacrificed their firstborn children in the fire. The very horror should have shocked them into recognizing that I am God.’

27-29 “Therefore, speak to Israel, son of man. Tell them that God says, ‘As if that wasn’t enough, your parents further insulted me by betraying me. When I brought them into that land that I had solemnly promised with my upraised hand to give them, every time they saw a hill with a sex-and-religion shrine on it or a grove of trees where the sacred whores practiced, they were there, buying into the whole pagan system. I said to them, “What hill do you go to?”’ (It’s still called “Whore Hills.”)

30-31 “Therefore, say to Israel, ‘The Message of God, the Master: You’re making your lives filthy by copying the ways of your parents. In repeating their vile practices, you’ve become whores yourselves. In burning your children as sacrifices, you’ve become as filthy as your no-god idols—as recently as today!

“‘Am I going to put up with questions from people like you, Israel? As sure as I am the living God, I, God, the Master, refuse to be called into question by you!

32 “‘What you’re secretly thinking is never going to happen. You’re thinking, “We’re going to be like everybody else, just like the other nations. We’re going to worship gods we can make and control.”

33-35 “‘As sure as I am the living God, says God, the Master, think again! With a mighty show of strength and a terrifying rush of anger, I will be King over you! I’ll bring you back from the nations, collect you out of the countries to which you’ve been scattered, with a mighty show of strength and a terrifying rush of anger. I’ll bring you to the desert of nations and haul you into court, where you’ll be face-to-face with judgment.

36-38 “‘As I faced your parents with judgment in the desert of Egypt, so I’ll face you with judgment. I’ll scrutinize and search every person as you arrive, and I’ll bring you under the bond of the covenant. I’ll cull out the rebels and traitors. I’ll lead them out of their exile, but I won’t bring them back to Israel.

“‘Then you’ll realize that I am God.

39-43 “‘But you, people of Israel, this is the Message of God, the Master, to you: Go ahead, serve your no-god idols! But later, you’ll think better of it and quit throwing filth and mud on me with your pagan offerings and no-god idols. For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, I, God, the Master, tell you that the entire people of Israel will worship me. I’ll receive them there with open arms. I’ll demand your best gifts and offerings, all your holy sacrifices. What’s more, I’ll receive you as the best kind of offerings when I bring you back from all the lands and countries in which you’ve been scattered. I’ll demonstrate in the eyes of the world that I am The Holy. When I return you to the land of Israel, the land that I solemnly promised with upraised arm to give to your parents, you’ll realize that I am God. Then and there you’ll remember all that you’ve done, the way you’ve lived that has made you so filthy—and you’ll loathe yourselves.

44 “‘But, dear Israel, you’ll also realize that I am God when I respond to you out of who I am, not by what I feel about the evil lives you’ve lived, the corrupt history you’ve compiled. Decree of God, the Master.’”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion    
Wednesday, December 09, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:

Psalm 1:1–3

Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

Insight
Psalm 1 is often classified by scholars as Wisdom Literature because it describes an idealized person—someone whose integrity no one could actually fully live up to. The purpose is to inspire in the audience a desire to pursue such a life of wisdom themselves. In stark contrast to a lifestyle of wisdom, the psalm portrays an alternative destiny, the lifestyle of “mockers” (1:1).

The meaning of the Hebrew word ’ashre (1:1) is difficult to capture accurately in translation. Although often translated “blessed,” the word doesn’t have the modern connotations of being given a gift. Instead, it evokes the idea of the richness and joy of life rooted in God, living out the kind of peace (or shalom) that God intends for humanity. The New Living Translation attempts to capture these connotations by translating the word blessed as “Oh, the joys.”

God’s Guidance
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers. Psalm 1:1

When their bank accidentally deposited $120,000 into their account, a couple went on a shopping spree. They purchased an SUV, a camper, and two four-wheelers in addition to paying off bills. Discovering the deposit error, the bank told the couple to return the money. Unfortunately, the husband and wife had already spent it. They were then charged with felony theft. When the couple arrived at the local court, the husband said to a reporter, “We took some bad legal advice.” The two learned that following bad advice (and spending what wasn’t theirs) could lead to making a mess of their lives.

In contrast, the psalmist shared wise advice that can help us avoid messing up in life. He wrote that those who find genuine fulfillment—who are “blessed”—refuse to be influenced by the advice of those who don’t serve God (Psalm 1:1). They know that unwise, ungodly counsel can lead to unseen dangers and costly consequences. Also, they’re motivated by (find “delight” in) and preoccupied with (“meditate on”) the timeless and unshakable truths of Scripture (v. 2). They’ve found that submitting to God’s guidance leads to stability and fruitfulness (v. 3).  

When we’re making decisions, big or small, about our careers, money, relationships, and more, may we seek God’s wisdom found in the Bible, godly counsel, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. His guidance is essential and trustworthy for living a fulfilling life and not creating messes.  By:  Marvin Williams

Reflect & Pray
Why do you believe Scripture is essential in making godly decisions? Who are your counselors that help you with wise advice?

God, before I seek Your advice about things I don’t know, help me to practice obedience in the areas I do know, and in loving You and others.  

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, December 09, 2020
The Opposition of the Natural

Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. —Galatians 5:24

The natural life itself is not sinful. But we must abandon sin, having nothing to do with it in any way whatsoever. Sin belongs to hell and to the devil. I, as a child of God, belong to heaven and to God. It is not a question of giving up sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence, and my self-will. This is where the battle has to be fought. The things that are right, noble, and good from the natural standpoint are the very things that keep us from being God’s best. Once we come to understand that natural moral excellence opposes or counteracts surrender to God, we bring our soul into the center of its greatest battle. Very few of us would debate over what is filthy, evil, and wrong, but we do debate over what is good. It is the good that opposes the best. The higher up the scale of moral excellence a person goes, the more intense the opposition to Jesus Christ. “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh….” The cost to your natural life is not just one or two things, but everything. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…” (Matthew 16:24). That is, he must deny his right to himself, and he must realize who Jesus Christ is before he will bring himself to do it. Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence.

The natural life is not spiritual, and it can be made spiritual only through sacrifice. If we do not purposely sacrifice the natural, the supernatural can never become natural to us. There is no high or easy road. Each of us has the means to accomplish it entirely in his own hands. It is not a question of praying, but of sacrificing, and thereby performing His will.

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

Bible in a Year: Daniel 11-12; Jude

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Wednesday, December 09, 2020
The Ultimate Magnet - #8848

When my oldest son was younger, he collected baseball cards just for fun. Well, then that changed! Somehow it went from something just to spend your allowance on, to a hobby, to a serious collection, to where it became like a business. It actually helped him get through college! He kept figuring out which ones were going to be valuable, and then he would trade, and buy and sell. I can see why he worked on them a lot. And you know what? He spent many, many hours analyzing and categorizing, and strategizing his collection.

He told me, "You know, Dad, I used to do this just for fun. But now it's serious. I've got too much tied up in it. Well, you know, that's really true isn't it? The more you spend on something, the higher it ranks on your list of priorities?

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

Our word for today from the Word of God is in Matthew 6, and I'm going to begin reading the words of Jesus in verse 19. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal..."

Now, notice these words, "...for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." A pretty enlightening instruction on values. Your heart will be, Jesus says, where your money is. Maybe you thought it was the other way around; your money will go where your heart is. No, it says that your heart will go where your money is. Money is a powerful magnet. Whatever you've got your resources tied up in will occupy a central place in your heart. That's why my son had a lot of involvement with the baseball card collection. He had a lot tied up in it he said.

Now, because you've got a lot invested in something, you'll plan based on it, you'll talk a lot about it, you'll be known for it in the minds of others, you'll spend a lot of time on it. That's one reason parents push their children so much; they've got a lot invested in them.

Now, your official number one in your life might very well be Christ and His Kingdom. But where's your money going? No matter how much you want to put Christ first, the money magnet will pull you in its direction. You'll almost be forced to make it a top priority because of what you've got tied up in it. Even a teenage card collector knew that.

It doesn't matter how much money you have. The question is, "Where are you putting the money that you have any choice about? Into what you live in, or some special recreation, or a car, a business? See, God's best was invested in a lost world; that's where His heart is. Would you put your resources into the cause for which God gave His Son?

By faith, would you start increasing how much you invest in reaching lost people by buying gifts for lost friends in your neighborhood for special occasions, having a dinner for them, giving them a book or a Bible, giving to Christian ministries that really reach lost people, helping to pay for outreach ministries in your church?

Remember, your heart's going to follow your money. So, put your money into getting the Gospel to people who don't know our Jesus; whose eternity depends on that message getting to them. And, as you do that, your burden will grow and your heart is going to be right where God's heart is.

2 Timothy 3, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

 Max Lucado Daily: HOPE WAS BORN

No day is accidental or incidental. No acts are random or wasted. Look at Jesus’ birth at Bethlehem. A king ordered a census. Joseph was forced to travel. Mary, round as a ladybug, bounced on a donkey’s back. The hotel was full, the hour was late. The event was one big hassle. Yet out of the hassle, hope was born.

It still is. I don’t like hassles, but I love Christmas because it reminds us of the heart-shaping promises of Christmas. Long after the guests have left, and the carolers have gone home, and the lights have come down, these promises endure: God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God. Perhaps you could use some Christmas this Christmas?

2 Timothy 3

Difficult Times Ahead

Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.

6-9 These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself “truth.” They get exploited every time and never really learn. These men are like those old Egyptian frauds Jannes and Jambres, who challenged Moses. They were rejects from the faith, twisted in their thinking, defying truth itself. But nothing will come of these latest impostors. Everyone will see through them, just as people saw through that Egyptian hoax.

Keep the Message Alive
10-13 You’ve been a good apprentice to me, a part of my teaching, my manner of life, direction, faith, steadiness, love, patience, troubles, sufferings—suffering along with me in all the grief I had to put up with in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. And you also well know that God rescued me! Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it. Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They’re as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse.

14-17 But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion    
Tuesday, December 08, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
1 Thessalonians 5:1–11, 16–18

The Day of the Lord

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Insight
The apostle Paul wrote the book of 1 Thessalonians to the young church in Thessalonica, a Roman colony. Thessalonica was the largest and most important city in Macedonia and the province’s capital. Because of its fine harbor, central location, and access to many roads, the city enjoyed flourishing trade. First Thessalonians was probably one of Paul’s first letters, written around ad 51 or 52 from Corinth. Only two or three years earlier, Paul, accompanied by Silas, had visited Thessalonica during his second missionary journey and established the church there. According to Acts 17:1–4, Paul taught there for just “three Sabbaths” before opposition forced him to flee the city. Paul penned this letter to encourage the new believers in their faith and to assure them of Christ’s return.

On the Same Team
Encourage one another and build each other up. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

When Philadelphia Eagle’s quarterback Carson Wentz returned to the field after healing from a severe injury, the NFL team’s backup quarterback, Nick Foles, graciously returned to the bench. Although competing for the same position, the two men chose to support each other and remained confident in their roles. One reporter observed that the two athletes have a “unique relationship rooted in their faith in Christ” shown through their ongoing prayers for each other. As others watched, they brought honor to God by remembering they were on the same team—not just as Eagles quarterbacks, but as believers in Jesus representing Him.

The apostle Paul reminds believers to live as “children of the light” awaiting Jesus’ return (1 Thessalonians 5:5–6). With our hope secure in the salvation Christ has provided, we can shrug off any temptations to compete out of jealousy, insecurity, fear, or envy. Instead, we can “encourage one another and build each other up” (v. 11). We can respect spiritual leaders who honor God and “live in peace” as we serve together to accomplish our shared goal—telling people about the gospel and encouraging others to live for Jesus (vv. 12–15).

As we serve on the same team, we can heed Paul’s command: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (vv. 16–18). By:  Xochitl Dixon

Reflect & Pray
Who has encouraged you while serving on the same team? How can you encourage someone who serves alongside you?

Jesus, please give me opportunities today to encourage someone who serves with me.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, December 08, 2020
The Impartial Power of God
By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. —Hebrews 10:14

We trample the blood of the Son of God underfoot if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only reason for the forgiveness of our sins by God, and the infinite depth of His promise to forget them, is the death of Jesus Christ. Our repentance is merely the result of our personal realization of the atonement by the Cross of Christ, which He has provided for us. “…Christ Jesus…became for us wisdom from God— and righteousness and sanctification and redemption…” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Once we realize that Christ has become all this for us, the limitless joy of God begins in us. And wherever the joy of God is not present, the death sentence is still in effect.

No matter who or what we are, God restores us to right standing with Himself only by means of the death of Jesus Christ. God does this, not because Jesus pleads with Him to do so but because He died. It cannot be earned, just accepted. All the pleading for salvation which deliberately ignores the Cross of Christ is useless. It is knocking at a door other than the one which Jesus has already opened. We protest by saying, “But I don’t want to come that way. It is too humiliating to be received as a sinner.” God’s response, through Peter, is, “… there is no other name…by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). What at first appears to be heartlessness on God’s part is actually the true expression of His heart. There is unlimited entrance His way. “In Him we have redemption through His blood…” (Ephesians 1:7). To identify with the death of Jesus Christ means that we must die to everything that was never a part of Him.

God is just in saving bad people only as He makes them good. Our Lord does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The atonement by the Cross of Christ is the propitiation God uses to make unholy people holy.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self-assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth. The Place of Help, 1005 R

Bible in a Year: Daniel 8-10; 3 John

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, December 08, 2020
The "Darth Vader" of Christmas - #8847

There's a Nativity in every room of our house. That was my wife's #1 order for Christmas decorating. Decorations are fine. Lights are nice. Nativities are mandatory! So we have all kinds. Big mangers. Small mangers. Native American Nativities. A cowboy creche. An Eskimo "Bethlehem." The cast is pretty predictable. Mary, Joseph and the baby. So are the shepherds and those Wise Men. Sometimes a cow. A donkey. A sheep.

But there's one prominent character in the Christmas story who's never at the manger. What bothers me is that in some ways, I'm him. We all are. The king, Herod. No way you're going to find him where Baby Jesus is. That's not an oversight. That's history.

King Herod is like the "Darth Vader" of the Christmas story. I nominate Mr. Vader as "The Villain of This Generation." He's heartless, he's merciless, and he talks scary. Even after his death in an earlier "Star Wars" episode, his evil legacy carries on through his better-breathing grandson, Kylo Ren.

When it comes to the historical events that are contained in the Christmas story, King Herod is clearly the "dark side."

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The 'Darth Vader' of Christmas."

It's the quest of those "Wise Men," aka, "Magi" that brings Herod into the story. The Wise Men believed that the amazing star they had seen was a celestial sign leading them to the long-prophesied "King of the Jews." Needless to say, Herod was not happy to hear a question like, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose, and have come to worship him."

When Herod's prophecy experts cited the Old Testament prediction that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, Herod asked these guys to bring back actionable intel on where the new "king" was. He claimed he wanted to worship the newborn Messiah. What he wanted was to kill him. Thankfully, God warned them away from that bad idea.

But Herod proceeded to send his "hit men" to slaughter the babies under two years old, in and around Bethlehem.

Now why would I say that I am, in any way, like this monster? Certainly not in his heinous homicides. But something deeper. Herod's heart. At his core, three words captured the bottom line that drove his life. No. Other. King. The heart of Herod was that no one would replace him on the throne. Even God's Messiah. That's what troubles me. Because, according to the Bible, that's the choice we've all made. "God, You run the universe. I'll run me, thank You."

In the Bible's words, though we were "created by Him and for Him," "we have left God's paths to follow our own...all have turned away...everyone has sinned" and we all "fall short of God's glorious standard" (Colossians 1:16; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:12, 23).

I want to be king of me. I want to do what I want to do. I will not yield the throne. Even to the One the Bible says is the "King of kings." Oh, we've got lots of so-called reasons for refusing to bow to Jesus. We'll give God all kinds of things. We'll give money. Time. Belief. Everything except one thing. Control. Whoever or whatever is in control, that's our real God.

But the results of our "self-rule" testify we were never meant to run our life. We've got broken relationships. Wounded loved ones. Addictions. A deep loneliness and emptiness that no accomplishment or achievement's been able to fill. And still no answer to life's #1 question, "Why am I here?"

But all this brokenness is the very reason for the Manger! And the Cross. And Jesus' empty tomb. "Jesus" means "the Lord rescues." And rescue is what I need! Not a religion. A rescue!

All these frustrating, unfulfilling, searching years have been a battle over the throne in our heart. A throne reserved for only one King. The One who created us. Who loves us more than words can tell. Who died to remove the death penalty for me trying to be my own king. Who alone has conquered death.

Listen, it's time for you to begin your relationship and let the real King be the king of your life. You want to do that, go to our website. I think we can help. It's ANewStory.com.

I will not stand with Herod, resisting the Rightful King. I will kneel with the Wise Men this Christmas. The ones who "bowed down and worshiped Him" (Matthew 2:11).

My lifelong search ends where theirs did. At the feet of Jesus. So will yours.

Ezekiel 19, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: THE BEST IS YET TO BE

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

Bethlehem was just the beginning. Jesus has promised a repeat performance. Bethlehem, Act 2. No silent night this time, however. The skies will open, trumpets will blast, and a new kingdom will begin. He will empty the tombs and melt the winter of death. Death, you die! Life, you reign! The manger dares us to believe the best is yet to be. I love Christmas because it reminds us how “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God!”

Ezekiel 19

A Story of Two Lions

Sing the blues over the princes of Israel. Say:

What a lioness was your mother
    among lions!
She crouched in a pride of young lions.
    Her cubs grew large.
She reared one of her cubs to maturity,
    a robust young lion.
He learned to hunt.
    He ate men.
Nations sounded the alarm.
    He was caught in a trap.
They took him with hooks
    and dragged him to Egypt.

5-9 When the lioness saw she was luckless,
    that her hope for that cub was gone,
She took her other cub
    and made him a strong young lion.
He prowled with the lions,
    a robust young lion.
He learned to hunt.
    He ate men.
He rampaged through their defenses,
    left their cities in ruins.
The country and everyone in it
    was terrorized by the roars of the lion.
The nations got together to hunt him.
    Everyone joined the hunt.
They set out their traps
    and caught him.
They put a wooden collar on him
    and took him to the king of Babylon.
No more would that voice be heard
    disturbing the peace in the mountains of Israel!

10-14 Here’s another way to put it:
    Your mother was like a vine in a vineyard,
    transplanted alongside streams of water,
Luxurious in branches and grapes
    because of the ample water.
It grew sturdy branches
    fit to be carved into a royal scepter.
It grew high, reaching into the clouds.
    Its branches filled the horizon,
    and everyone could see it.
Then it was ripped up in a rage
    and thrown to the ground.
The hot east wind shriveled it up
    and stripped its fruit.
The sturdy branches dried out,
    fit for nothing but kindling.
Now it’s a stick stuck out in the desert,
    a bare stick in a desert of death,
Good for nothing but making fires,
    campfires in the desert.
Not a hint now of those sturdy branches
    fit for use as a royal scepter!

(This is a sad song, a text for singing the blues.)

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion    
Monday, December 07, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:

Psalm 109:21–27

But you, Sovereign Lord,
    help me for your name’s sake;
    out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
22 For I am poor and needy,
    and my heart is wounded within me.
23 I fade away like an evening shadow;
    I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees give way from fasting;
    my body is thin and gaunt.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
    when they see me, they shake their heads.

26 Help me, Lord my God;
    save me according to your unfailing love.
27 Let them know that it is your hand,
    that you, Lord, have done it.
Insight
Psalm 109 has been called the “Judas Psalm.” Peter quotes from it to support his suggestion that the apostles needed to replace the betrayer of Jesus (Psalm 109:8; Acts 1:20). This psalm is also known for the intensity of the curses that show up in David’s appeal to God for help (Psalm 109:6–20). From a New Testament point of view, we may not understand the cruelty of the requests. Bible scholars differ in their interpretations, with some suggesting verses 6–20 express what David’s enemies were wishing on him. The New Living Translation inserts “They say” at the beginning of verse 6 to indicate that David is asking God for help in the face of such hatred. Regardless of the interpretation, such curses stand in contrast to Jesus’ counsel to reflect our relationship to Him by returning blessing for curses (Luke 6:27–36).

Prayer of the Broken-Down
Help me, Lord my God. Psalm 109:26

“Dear Father in heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there, and you can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope.” That prayer is whispered by a broken-down George Bailey, the character played by Jimmy Stewart in the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life. In the now iconic scene, Bailey’s eyes fill with tears. They weren’t part of the script, but as he spoke that prayer Stewart said he “felt the loneliness, the hopelessness of people who had nowhere to turn.” It broke him.

Bailey’s prayer, boiled down, is simply “Help me.” And this is exactly what’s voiced in Psalm 109. David was at the end of his rope: “poor and needy,” his “heart . . . wounded” (v. 22), and his body “thin and gaunt” (v. 24). He was fading “like an evening shadow” (v. 23), and sensed himself to be an “object of scorn” in the eyes of his accusers (v. 25). In his extreme brokenness, he had nowhere else to turn. He cried out for the Sovereign Lord to show him the way: “Help me, Lord my God” (v. 26).

There are seasons in our lives when “broken down” says it all. In such times it can be hard to know what to pray. Our loving God will respond to our simple prayer for help. By:  John Blase

Reflect & Pray
When was the last time you felt broken down by life? If you have a family member or friend who currently feels that way, how might you help?

Dear Father, some days are hard. They feel hopeless. Turn my heart to You in my brokenness. Give me strength to simply ask for help.

To learn more about the practice of prayer, visit ChristianUniversity.org/SF120.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, December 07, 2020
Repentance
Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation… —2 Corinthians 7:10

Conviction of sin is best described in the words:
My sins, my sins, my Savior,
How sad on Thee they fall.

Conviction of sin is one of the most uncommon things that ever happens to a person. It is the beginning of an understanding of God. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict people of sin (see John 16:8). And when the Holy Spirit stirs a person’s conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is not that person’s relationship with others that bothers him but his relationship with God— “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight…” (Psalm 51:4). The wonders of conviction of sin, forgiveness, and holiness are so interwoven that it is only the forgiven person who is truly holy. He proves he is forgiven by being the opposite of what he was previously, by the grace of God. Repentance always brings a person to the point of saying, “I have sinned.” The surest sign that God is at work in his life is when he says that and means it. Anything less is simply sorrow for having made foolish mistakes— a reflex action caused by self-disgust.

The entrance into the kingdom of God is through the sharp, sudden pains of repentance colliding with man’s respectable “goodness.” Then the Holy Spirit, who produces these struggles, begins the formation of the Son of God in the person’s life (see Galatians 4:19). This new life will reveal itself in conscious repentance followed by unconscious holiness, never the other way around. The foundation of Christianity is repentance. Strictly speaking, a person cannot repent when he chooses— repentance is a gift of God. The old Puritans used to pray for “the gift of tears.” If you ever cease to understand the value of repentance, you allow yourself to remain in sin. Examine yourself to see if you have forgotten how to be truly repentant.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Seeing is never believing: we interpret what we see in the light of what we believe. Faith is confidence in God before you see God emerging; therefore the nature of faith is that it must be tried.  He Shall Glorify Me, 494 R

Bible in a Year: Daniel 5-7; 2 John

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, December 07, 2020
Changing Hands - #8846

Our good friends were visiting us with their precious three-year-old daughter. Captivating dark eyes, a winsome smile, a high-energy personality, and a mind of her own. Her Dad said they were crossing a very busy street - he and his daughter - and he said, "Now hold Daddy's hand." She apparently didn't like that idea. She looked up at him with those big eyes and said, "That's OK, Daddy. I'll hold my own hand." Not a good idea.

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

Our Heavenly Father looks at the road ahead and He knows exactly where we should go and when we should go. He reaches our direction and He says, "Hold Daddy's hand." Maybe you've got a mind of your own, and you've kind of got that independent spirit. And you say, "That's OK Daddy. I'll hold my hand." Not a good idea.

Tucked away in the drama of the first Christmas is a better idea. Our word for today from the Word of God, Luke 1:26, "In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph. The virgin's name was Mary... The angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.'"

So, God comes to Mary and says, in essence, "Take My hand - I'm leading you into something amazing." Now, if Mary had insisted on holding her own hand, she never would have gone. He's leading her into a situation where she will suddenly be mysteriously pregnant. And who's going to believe that God is doing it? She's got a lot to lose if she takes God's hand and goes where He wants to take her. She'll probably lose her reputation as a "nice girl of Nazareth." She stands to lose the man she loves when he hears she's expecting and he knows he's not the father. The wedding she has dreamed of? Probably will never happen. And since, in the Jewish culture of that day, they stoned women for sexual sin, obedience could even cost Mary her life.

But listen to her response to God's plan. "I am the Lord's servant." Those five words change everything. If Mary's identity is "I'm Joseph's girl," there's no way she's going to do what God wants. If her image as a "nice girl of Nazareth" is her identity, she won't do this. But Mary bases her identity on one thing and one thing alone. With open hands, open arms, face looking up, she declares, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as You have said." And because of that surrendered spirit and surrendered future, Mary carries God's only Son in her body, nurses the Son of God, teaches the Son of God.

See, God's most special assignments are for those who will let go of their own hand; who will grab God's hand and say, "Lord, I'll go where You want me to go." In fact, there's a hymn that says, "Lord, I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord' O'er mountain or plain or sea. I'll say what You want me to say, dear Lord. I'll be what You want me to be."

As we approach this Christmas, look at what God gave because He loves you so much. He sacrificed His only Son to pay the death penalty for the sinning you did. That should remove any doubt of whether you can trust Him with the things that matter most to you. Anyone who loved you enough to die for you will never do you wrong.

It's a good day to ask yourself, though you may know all about Jesus, though you may go to His meetings, though you may agree with Him, do you belong to Him? You might believe in Him but not belong to Him because you've never really reached out to Him and made yours what He died to give you - this greatest gift in the world - eternal life and forgiveness and heaven, and a relationship with your Creator made possible only one way; by Him taking your place, dying for your sin. Why don't you let this be the day you say what you've missed before, "Jesus, I'm Yours."

You want to begin that relationship? I'd love to help you if you'll just go to our website. It's ANewStory.com. This Christmas season, say those five words that open you up to God's best, "I am the Lord's servant."

Ezekiel 18, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily:The Gladdest News of All

Grace is simply another word for God’s reservoir of strength and protection.  Not occasionally or miserly but constantly and aggressively, wave upon wave.  We barely regain our balance from one breaker, and then, bam, here comes another!

We dare to stake our hope on the gladdest news of all:  if God permits the challenge, he will provide the grace to meet it.  We never exhaust his supply. “Stop asking so much!  My grace reservoir is running dry.”  Heaven knows no such words.  God has enough grace to solve every dilemma you face, wipe every tear that you cry, and answer every question you ask.

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all. How will he not also graciously give us all things?  (Romans 8:32).

Having given the supreme and costliest gift, how can he fail to lavish upon us all he has to give?

From GRACE

Ezekiel 18

Judged According to the Way You Live

God’s Message to me: “What do you people mean by going around the country repeating the saying,

The parents ate green apples,
The children got the stomachache?

3-4 “As sure as I’m the living God, you’re not going to repeat this saying in Israel any longer. Every soul—man, woman, child—belongs to me, parent and child alike. You die for your own sin, not another’s.

5-9 “Imagine a person who lives well, treating others fairly, keeping good relationships—

    doesn’t eat at the pagan shrines,
    doesn’t worship the idols so popular in Israel,
    doesn’t seduce a neighbor’s spouse,
    doesn’t indulge in casual sex,
    doesn’t bully anyone,
    doesn’t pile up bad debts,
    doesn’t steal,
    doesn’t refuse food to the hungry,
    doesn’t refuse clothing to the ill-clad,
    doesn’t exploit the poor,
    doesn’t live by impulse and greed,
    doesn’t treat one person better than another,
But lives by my statutes and faithfully
    honors and obeys my laws.
This person who lives upright and well
    shall live a full and true life.
        Decree of God, the Master.

10-13 “But if this person has a child who turns violent and murders and goes off and does any of these things, even though the parent has done none of them—

eats at the pagan shrines,
seduces his neighbor’s spouse,
bullies the weak,
steals,
piles up bad debts,
admires idols,
commits outrageous obscenities,
exploits the poor

“—do you think this person, the child, will live? Not a chance! Because he’s done all these vile things, he’ll die. And his death will be his own fault.

14-17 “Now look: Suppose that this child has a child who sees all the sins done by his parent. The child sees them, but doesn’t follow in the parent’s footsteps—

    doesn’t eat at the pagan shrines,
    doesn’t worship the popular idols of Israel,
    doesn’t seduce his neighbor’s spouse,
    doesn’t bully anyone,
    doesn’t refuse to loan money,
    doesn’t steal,
    doesn’t refuse food to the hungry,
    doesn’t refuse to give clothes to the ill-clad,
    doesn’t live by impulse and greed,
    doesn’t exploit the poor.
He does what I say;
    he performs my laws and lives by my statutes.

17-18 “This person will not die for the sins of the parent; he will live truly and well. But the parent will die for what the parent did, for the sins of—

oppressing the weak,
robbing brothers and sisters,
doing what is dead wrong in the community.

19-20 “Do you need to ask, ‘So why does the child not share the guilt of the parent?’

“Isn’t it plain? It’s because the child did what is fair and right. Since the child was careful to do what is lawful and right, the child will live truly and well. The soul that sins is the soul that dies. The child does not share the guilt of the parent, nor the parent the guilt of the child. If you live upright and well, you get the credit; if you live a wicked life, you’re guilty as charged.

21-23 “But a wicked person who turns his back on that life of sin and keeps all my statutes, living a just and righteous life, he’ll live, really live. He won’t die. I won’t keep a list of all the things he did wrong. He will live. Do you think I take any pleasure in the death of wicked men and women? Isn’t it my pleasure that they turn around, no longer living wrong but living right—really living?

24 “The same thing goes for a good person who turns his back on an upright life and starts sinning, plunging into the same vile obscenities that the wicked person practices. Will this person live? I don’t keep a list of all the things this person did right, like money in the bank he can draw on. Because of his defection, because he accumulates sin, he’ll die.

25-28 “Do I hear you saying, ‘That’s not fair! God’s not fair!’?

“Listen, Israel. I’m not fair? You’re the ones who aren’t fair! If a good person turns away from his good life and takes up sinning, he’ll die for it. He’ll die for his own sin. Likewise, if a bad person turns away from his bad life and starts living a good life, a fair life, he will save his life. Because he faces up to all the wrongs he’s committed and puts them behind him, he will live, really live. He won’t die.

29 “And yet Israel keeps on whining, ‘That’s not fair! God’s not fair.’

“I’m not fair, Israel? You’re the ones who aren’t fair.

30-32 “The upshot is this, Israel: I’ll judge each of you according to the way you live. So turn around! Turn your backs on your rebellious living so that sin won’t drag you down. Clean house. No more rebellions, please. Get a new heart! Get a new spirit! Why would you choose to die, Israel? I take no pleasure in anyone’s death. Decree of God, the Master.

“Make a clean break! Live!”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Sunday, December 06, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:

1 John 5:1–6

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

Insight
In 1 John 5, John addresses two of his favorite topics and their relationship to each other: love and God’s commandments. Verse 2 could be considered a summary of John’s theology. Love and obedience are so intertwined that one is considered a demonstration, or proof, of the other.

Sounding much like Jesus when He identified not just the most important, but the two most important commands (see Matthew 22:34–40; Mark 12:28–33), John connects the love of God with love of others. He says that anyone who loves the Father “loves his child as well” (1 John 5:1). Obedience to His commandments isn’t just a demonstration of love for God but also shows love for the children of God (vv. 2–3).

In the gospel of John, Jesus tells His disciples that if they love Him, they’ll keep His commands (14:15, 21; 15:10)—one of which was to love one another.

Aunt Betty’s Way
This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 1 John 5:2

When I was young, whenever my doting Aunt Betty visited, it felt like Christmas. She’d bring Star Wars toys and slip me cash on her way out the door. Whenever I stayed with her, she filled the freezer with ice cream and never cooked vegetables. She had few rules and let me stay up late. My aunt was marvelous, reflecting God’s generosity. However, to grow up healthy, I needed more than only Aunt Betty’s way. I also needed my parents to place expectations on me and my behavior and hold me to them.

God asks more of me than Aunt Betty. While He floods us with relentless love, a love that never wavers even when we resist or run away, He does expect something of us. When God instructed Israel how to live, He provided Ten Commandments, not ten suggestions (Exodus 20:1–17). Aware of our self-deception, God offers clear expectations: we’re to “[love] God and [carry] out his commands” (1 John 5:2).

Thankfully, “[God’s] commands are not burdensome” (v. 3). By the Holy Spirit’s power, we can live them out as we experience God’s love and joy. His love for us is unceasing. But the Scriptures offer a question to help us know if we love God in return: Are we obeying His commands as the Spirit guides us?

We can say we love God, but what we do in His strength tells the real story. By:  Winn Collier

Reflect & Pray
When do you find it most difficult to obey God? How does this connection between obedience and love offer new insight for your life in Christ?

God, I say I love You, but it’s hard to love. It’s hard to obey. Help me see the truth and to love You with my actions.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Sunday, December 06, 2020
“My Rainbow in the Cloud”
I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. —Genesis 9:13

It is the will of God that human beings should get into a right-standing relationship with Him, and His covenants are designed for this purpose. Why doesn’t God save me? He has accomplished and provided for my salvation, but I have not yet entered into a relationship with Him. Why doesn’t God do everything we ask? He has done it. The point is— will I step into that covenant relationship? All the great blessings of God are finished and complete, but they are not mine until I enter into a relationship with Him on the basis of His covenant.

Waiting for God to act is fleshly unbelief. It means that I have no faith in Him. I wait for Him to do something in me so I may trust in that. But God won’t do it, because that is not the basis of the God-and-man relationship. Man must go beyond the physical body and feelings in his covenant with God, just as God goes beyond Himself in reaching out with His covenant to man. It is a question of faith in God— a very rare thing. We only have faith in our feelings. I don’t believe God until He puts something tangible in my hand, so that I know I have it. Then I say, “Now I believe.” There is no faith exhibited in that. God says, “Look to Me, and be saved…” (Isaiah 45:22).

When I have really transacted business with God on the basis of His covenant, letting everything else go, there is no sense of personal achievement— no human ingredient in it at all. Instead, there is a complete overwhelming sense of being brought into union with God, and my life is transformed and radiates peace and joy.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

We never enter into the Kingdom of God by having our head questions answered, but only by commitment.
The Highest Good—Thy Great Redemption

Bible in a Year: Daniel 3-4; 1 John 5