Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 20
Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
John 7:37 (NCV)
God is a God who opens the door and waves His hand, pointing pilgrims to a full table.
His invitation is not just for a meal, however. It is for life. An invitation to come into His kingdom and take up residence in a tearless, graveless, painless world.
Who can come?
Whoever wishes.
The invitation is at once universal and personal.
Luke 9
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples
1 Jesus called the Twelve together. He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to heal sicknesses. 2 Then he sent them out to preach about God's kingdom and to heal those who were sick.
3 He told them, "Don't take anything for the journey. Do not take a walking stick or a bag. Do not take any bread, money or extra clothes. 4 When you are invited into a house, stay there until you leave town. 5 Some people may not welcome you. If they don't, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town. This will be a witness against the people living there."
6 So the Twelve left. They went from village to village. They preached the good news and healed people everywhere.
7 Now Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything that was going on. He was bewildered, because some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. 8 Others were saying that Elijah had appeared. Still others were saying that a prophet of long ago had come back to life. 9 But Herod said, "I had John's head cut off. So who is it that I hear such things about?" And he tried to see Jesus.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
10 The apostles returned. They told Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him. They went off by themselves to a town called Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds learned about it and followed Jesus. He welcomed them and spoke to them about God's kingdom. He also healed those who needed to be healed.
12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him. They said, "Send the crowd away. They can go to the nearby villages and countryside. There they can find food and a place to stay. There is nothing here."
13 Jesus replied, "You give them something to eat."
The disciples answered, "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish. We would have to go and buy food for all this crowd." 14 About 5,000 men were there.
But Jesus said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about 50 each." 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down.
16 Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke them into pieces. Then he gave them to the disciples to set in front of the people. 17 All of them ate and were satisfied. The disciples picked up 12 baskets of leftover pieces.
Peter Says That Jesus Is the Christ
18 One day Jesus was praying alone. Only his disciples were with him. He asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?"
19 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist. Others say Elijah. Still others say that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life."
20 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Peter answered, "The Christ of God."
21 Jesus strongly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 He said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things. The elders will not accept him. The chief priests and teachers of the law will not accept him either. He must be killed and on the third day rise from the dead."
23 Then he said to all of them, "If anyone wants to follow me, he must say no to himself. He must pick up his cross every day and follow me. 24 If he wants to save his life, he will lose it. But if he loses his life for me, he will save it. 25 What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses or gives up his very self?
26 "Suppose you are ashamed of me and my words. The Son of Man will come in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. Then he will be ashamed of you.
27 "What I'm about to tell you is true. Some who are standing here will not die before they see God's kingdom."
Jesus' Appearance Is Changed
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he went up on a mountain to pray. He took Peter, John and James with him.
29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed. His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31 appeared in shining glory. Jesus and the two of them talked together. They spoke about his coming death. He was going to die soon in Jerusalem.
32 Peter and his companions had been very sleepy. But then they became completely awake. They saw Jesus' glory and the two men standing with him.
33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter spoke up. "Master," he said to him, "it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters. One will be for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He didn't really know what he was saying.
34 While Jesus was speaking, a cloud appeared. It surrounded them. The disciples were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud. It said, "This is my Son, and I have chosen him. Listen to him." 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone.
The disciples kept quiet about this. They didn't tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
Jesus Heals a Boy Who Had an Evil Spirit
37 The next day Jesus and those who were with him came down from the mountain. A large crowd met Jesus.
38 A man in the crowd called out. "Teacher," he said, "I beg you to look at my son. He is my only child. 39 A spirit takes hold of him, and he suddenly screams. It throws him into fits so that he foams at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him. It is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out. But they couldn't do it."
41 "You unbelieving and evil people!" Jesus replied. "How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you?"
Then he said to the man, "Bring your son here."
42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him into a fit. The boy fell to the ground. But Jesus ordered the evil spirit to leave the boy. Then Jesus healed him and gave him back to his father. 43 They were all amazed at God's greatness.
Everyone was wondering about all that Jesus did. Then Jesus said to his disciples, 44 "Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. The Son of Man is going to be handed over to men." 45 But they didn't understand what this meant. That was because it was hidden from them. And they were afraid to ask Jesus about it.
Who Is the Most Important Person?
46 The disciples began to argue about which one of them would be the most important person. 47 Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he took a little child and had the child stand beside him.
48 Then he spoke to them. "Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me," he said. "And anyone who welcomes me welcomes the One who sent me. The least important person among all of you is the most important."
49 "Master," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he is not one of us."
50 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "Anyone who is not against you is for you."
The Samaritans Do Not Welcome Jesus
51 The time grew near for Jesus to be taken up to heaven. So he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers on ahead. They went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him. 53 But the people there did not welcome Jesus. That was because he was heading for Jerusalem.
54 The disciples James and John saw this. They asked, "Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?"
55 But Jesus turned and commanded them not to do it. 56 They went on to another village.
It Costs to Follow Jesus
57 Once Jesus and those who were with him were walking along the road. A man said to Jesus, "I will follow you no matter where you go."
58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes. Birds of the air have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
59 He said to another man, "Follow me."
But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
60 Jesus said to him, "Let dead people bury their own dead. You go and tell others about God's kingdom."
61 Still another man said, "I will follow you, Lord. But first let me go back and say good?by to my family."
62 Jesus replied, "Suppose you start to plow and then look back. If you do, you are not fit for service in God's kingdom."
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Revelation 21
The New Jerusalem
1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth were completely gone. There was no longer any sea.
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem. It was coming down out of heaven from God. It was prepared like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 I heard a loud voice from the throne. It said, "Now God makes his home with people. He will live with them. They will be his people. And God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sadness. There will be no more crying or pain. Things are no longer the way they used to be."
5 He who was sitting on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down. You can trust these words. They are true."
June 20, 2009
A Happy Reunion
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READ: Revelation 21:1-5
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. —Revelation 21:3
In 2002, Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her home in Utah. She lived a vagabond life in the constant presence of the couple accused of abducting her. However, 9 months after she was abducted she was found and returned home. It was the happy reunion her family had been longing for.
In the book of Revelation, John describes a vision of a new heaven and a new earth and our future reunion with the Lord (21:1-5). The context is not just geographic, but a context of life for God’s people—a glorious reality of God and His people dwelling together for eternity.
John describes the benefits that come to God’s people when He takes up His abode in their midst. Abolished forever are the debilitating consequences of sin. In John’s vision, sorrow, death, pain, and separation are all part of the first things that are now gone. The old order gives way to the new and perfect order—a reunion of eternal blessedness. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. . . . He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new’?” (Rev. 21:3,5).
One day, we’ll rejoice over a happy reunion in heaven with our heavenly Father. We cannot imagine what a day of rejoicing that will be! — Marvin Williams
Beyond the sunset, O glad reunion
With our dear loved ones who’ve gone before;
In that fair homeland we’ll know no parting.
Beyond the sunset forevermore. —Brock
© Renewal 1964, The Rodeheaver Company.
Separation is the law of earth—reunion is the law of heaven.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 20, 2009
Have You Come to "When" Yet?
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READ:
The Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends —Job 42:10
A pitiful, sickly, and self-centered kind of prayer and a determined effort and selfish desire to be right with God are never found in the New Testament. The fact that I am trying to be right with God is actually a sign that I am rebelling against the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I pray, "Lord, I will purify my heart if You will answer my prayer— I will walk rightly before You if You will help me." But I cannot make myself right with God; I cannot make my life perfect. I can only be right with God if I accept the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ as an absolute gift. Am I humble enough to accept it? I have to surrender all my rights and demands, and cease from every self-effort. I must leave myself completely alone in His hands, and then I can begin to pour my life out in the priestly work of intercession. There is a great deal of prayer that comes from actual disbelief in the atonement. Jesus is not just beginning to save us— He has already saved us completely. It is an accomplished fact, and it is an insult to Him for us to ask Him to do what He has already done.
If you are not now receiving the "hundredfold" which Jesus promised (see Matthew 19:29 ), and not getting insight into God’s Word, then start praying for your friends— enter into the ministry of the inner life. "The Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends." As a saved soul, the real business of your life is intercessory prayer. Whatever circumstances God may place you in, always pray immediately that His atonement may be recognized and as fully understood in the lives of others as it has been in yours. Pray for your friends now, and pray for those with whom you come in contact now.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Luke 8, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 19
Faithfully Present
The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.
Luke 19:10 (NCV)
Our God is the God who follows. Have you sensed him following you? He is the one who came to seek and save the lost. Have you sensed him seeking you?
Have you felt his presence through the kindness of a stranger? Through the majesty of a sunset or the mystery of romance? Through the question of a child or the commitment of a spouse? Through a word well spoken or a touch well timed, have you sensed him?...
God gives us himself. Even when we choose our hovel over his house and our trash over his grace, still he follows. Never forcing us. Never leaving us. Patiently persistent. Faithfully present. He uses all his power to convince us that he is who he is and he can be trusted to lead us home.
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 19
Faithfully Present
The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.
Luke 19:10 (NCV)
Our God is the God who follows. Have you sensed him following you? He is the one who came to seek and save the lost. Have you sensed him seeking you?
Have you felt his presence through the kindness of a stranger? Through the majesty of a sunset or the mystery of romance? Through the question of a child or the commitment of a spouse? Through a word well spoken or a touch well timed, have you sensed him?...
God gives us himself. Even when we choose our hovel over his house and our trash over his grace, still he follows. Never forcing us. Never leaving us. Patiently persistent. Faithfully present. He uses all his power to convince us that he is who he is and he can be trusted to lead us home.
Luke 8
The Story of the Farmer
1 After this, Jesus traveled around from one town and village to another. He announced the good news of God's kingdom. The Twelve were with him. 2 So were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses. One was Mary Magdalene. Seven demons had come out of her. 3 Another was Joanna, the wife of Cuza. He was the manager of Herod's household. Susanna and many others were there also. These women were helping to support Jesus and the Twelve with their own money.
4 A large crowd gathered together. People came to Jesus from town after town. As they did, he told a story. He said, 5 "A farmer went out to plant his seed. He scattered the seed on the ground. Some fell on a path. People walked on it, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some seed fell on rocky places. When it grew, the plants dried up because they had no water. 7 Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up with it and crowded out the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It grew up and produced a crop 100 times more than the farmer planted."
When Jesus said this, he called out, "Those who have ears should listen."
9 His disciples asked him what the story meant.
10 He said, "You have been given the chance to understand the secrets of God's kingdom. But to outsiders I speak by using stories. In that way,
" 'They see, but they will not know what they are seeing.
They hear, but they will not understand what they are hearing.' —(Isaiah 6:9)
11 "Here is what the story means. The seed is God's message. 12 People on the path are those who hear. But then the devil comes. He takes away the message from their hearts. He does it so they won't believe. Then they can't be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who hear the message and receive it with joy. But they have no roots. They believe for a while. But when they are put to the test, they fall away from the faith. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear the message. But as they go on their way, they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures. So they do not reach full growth.
15 "But the seed on good soil stands for those with an honest and good heart. They hear the message. They keep it in their hearts. They remain faithful and produce a good crop.
A Lamp on a Stand
16 "People do not light a lamp and then hide it in a jar or put it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand. Then those who come in can see its light. 17 What is hidden will be seen. And what is out of sight will be brought into the open and made known.
18 "So be careful how you listen. If you have something, you will be given more. If you have nothing, even what you think you have will be taken away from you."
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
19 Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him. But they could not get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside. They want to see you."
21 He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and do what it says."
Jesus Calms the Storm
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and left.
23 As they sailed, Jesus fell asleep. A storm came down on the lake. It was so bad that the boat was about to sink. They were in great danger.
24 The disciples went and woke Jesus up. They said, "Master! Master! We're going to drown!"
He got up and ordered the wind and the huge waves to stop. The storm quieted down. It was completely calm.
25 "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.
They were amazed and full of fear. They asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him."
Jesus Heals a Man Controlled by Demons
26 Jesus and his disciples sailed to the area of the Gerasenes across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped on shore, he was met by a man from the town. The man was controlled by demons. For a long time he had not worn clothes or lived in a house. He lived in the tombs.
28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet. He shouted at the top of his voice, "Jesus, Son of the Most High God, what do you want with me? I beg you, don't hurt me!"
29 This was because Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times the spirit had taken hold of him. His hands and feet were chained, and he was kept under guard. But he had broken his chains. And then the demon had forced him to go out into lonely places in the countryside.
30 Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"
"Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus again and again not to order them to go into the Abyss.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. And he allowed it.
33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs. Then the herd rushed down the steep bank. They ran into the lake and drowned.
34 Those who were tending the pigs saw what had happened. They ran off and reported it in the town and countryside. 35 The people went out to see what had happened.
Then they came to Jesus. They found the man who was now free of the demons. He was sitting at Jesus' feet. He was dressed and thinking clearly. All this made the people afraid.
36 Those who had seen it told the others how the man who had been controlled by demons was now healed. 37 Then all the people who lived in the area of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them. They were filled with fear. So he got into the boat and left.
38 The man who was now free of the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him away. He said to him, 39 "Return home and tell how much God has done for you."
So the man went away. He told people all over town how much Jesus had done for him.
A Dying Girl and a Suffering Woman
40 When Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him. They were all expecting him.
41 Then a man named Jairus came. He was a synagogue ruler. He fell at Jesus' feet. He begged Jesus to come to his house. 42 His only daughter was dying. She was about 12 years old.
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him.
43 A woman was there who had a sickness that made her bleed. Her sickness had lasted for 12 years. No one could heal her. 44 She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his clothes. Right away her bleeding stopped.
45 "Who touched me?" Jesus asked.
They all said they didn't do it. Then Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pushing against you."
46 But Jesus said, "Someone touched me. I know that power has gone out from me."
47 The woman realized that people would notice her. Shaking with fear, she came and fell at his feet. In front of everyone, she told why she had touched him. She also told how she had been healed in an instant.
48 Then he said to her, "Dear woman, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."
49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus. Jairus was the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," the messenger said. "Don't bother the teacher anymore."
50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just believe. She will be healed."
51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let everyone go in with him. He took only Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother.
52 During this time, all the people were crying and sobbing loudly over the child. "Stop crying!" Jesus said. "She is not dead. She is sleeping."
53 They laughed at him. They knew she was dead.
54 But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!"
55 Her spirit returned, and right away she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were amazed. But Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Genesis 39
Joseph and Potiphar's Wife
1 Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar had bought him from the Ishmaelite traders who had taken him there. Potiphar was one of Pharaoh's officials. He was the captain of the palace guard.
2 The Lord was with Joseph. He gave him great success. Joseph lived in Potiphar's house.
3 Joseph's master saw that the Lord was with him. He saw that the Lord gave Joseph success in everything he did. 4 So Potiphar was pleased with Joseph. He made him his attendant. He put Joseph in charge of his house. He told Joseph to take good care of everything he owned.
5 From that time on, the Lord blessed Potiphar's family and servants because of Joseph. He blessed everything Potiphar had in his house and field.
6 So Potiphar told Joseph to take good care of everything he owned. With Joseph in charge, he didn't have to worry about anything except the food he ate.
Joseph was strong and handsome. 7 After a while, his master's wife noticed Joseph. She said to him, "Make love to me!"
8 But he said no. "My master has put me in charge," he told her. "Now he doesn't have to worry about anything in the house. He trusts me to take care of everything he owns.
9 "No one in this house is in a higher position than I am. My master hasn't held anything back from me, except you. You are his wife. So how could I do an evil thing like that? How could I sin against God?"
10 She spoke to Joseph day after day. But he told her he wouldn't make love to her. He didn't even want to be with her.
11 One day Joseph went into the house to take care of his duties. None of the family servants was inside.
12 Potiphar's wife grabbed hold of him by his coat. "Make love to me!" she said. But he left his coat in her hand. And he ran out of the house.
June 19, 2009
The Tempted Brothers
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READ: Genesis 39:1-12
How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? —Genesis 39:9
Two brothers—both far from home —faced similar temptations. One, working away from the family, fell to the schemes of a younger woman. His sin led to embarrassment and family turmoil. The other, separated from loved ones because of family turmoil, resisted the advances of an older woman. His faithfulness led to rescue and renewal for the family.
Who are these brothers? Judah, who fell to the desperate scheme of his neglected daughter-in-law Tamar (Gen. 38). And Joseph, who ran from the arms of Potiphar’s wife (Gen. 39). One chapter, an ugly story of irresponsibility and deception; the other, a beautiful chapter of faithfulness.
The stories of Judah and Joseph, presented back-to-back in the midst of “the history of Jacob” (37:2), show us that temptation itself is not the problem. Everybody faces temptation, even Jesus did (Matt. 4:1-11). But how do we face temptation? Do we demonstrate that faith in God can shield us from giving in to sin?
Joseph gave us one way of escape: Recognize sin as an affront to God and run from it. Jesus gave another: Answer temptation with truth from God’s Word.
Facing temptation? See it as an opportunity to make God and His Word real in your life. Then run! — Dave Branon
For Further Study
To gain insight into how to say no to temptation, check out Resisting The Lure: Recognizing The Dangers Of Sexual Temptation at www.discoveryseries.org/q0707
We fall into temptation when we don’t stand against it.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 19, 2009
My Utmost for His Highest
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READ:
. . . do you love Me? . . . Tend My sheep —John 21:16
Jesus did not say to make converts to your way of thinking, but He said to look after His sheep, to see that they get nourished in the knowledge of Him. We consider what we do in the way of Christian work as service, yet Jesus Christ calls service to be what we are to Him, not what we do for Him. Discipleship is based solely on devotion to Jesus Christ, not on following after a particular belief or doctrine. "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate . . . , he cannot be My disciple" ( Luke 14:26 ). In this verse, there is no argument and no pressure from Jesus to follow Him; He is simply saying, in effect, "If you want to be My disciple, you must be devoted solely to Me." A person touched by the Spirit of God suddenly says, "Now I see who Jesus is!"— that is the source of devotion.
Today we have substituted doctrinal belief for personal belief, and that is why so many people are devoted to causes and so few are devoted to Jesus Christ. People do not really want to be devoted to Jesus, but only to the cause He started. Jesus Christ is deeply offensive to the educated minds of today, to those who only want Him to be their Friend, and who are unwilling to accept Him in any other way. Our Lord’s primary obedience was to the will of His Father, not to the needs of people— the saving of people was the natural outcome of His obedience to the Father. If I am devoted solely to the cause of humanity, I will soon be exhausted and come to the point where my love will waver and stumble. But if I love Jesus Christ personally and passionately, I can serve humanity, even though people may treat me like a "doormat." The secret of a disciple’s life is devotion to Jesus Christ, and the characteristic of that life is its seeming insignificance and its meekness. Yet it is like a grain of wheat that "falls into the ground and dies"— it will spring up and change the entire landscape ( John 12:24 ).
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
The Sweetener - #5855
Friday, June 19, 2009
A friend of mine and his son love to take off backpacking along the beautiful river near their house. And they've learned some interesting "tricks of the trade" to make sure they have clean water to drink without the weight of having to carry water with them all the time. They take iodine pills with them on their hikes. Apparently, they can collect some water from the river, dissolve iodine in it, and the water comes out clean. But then who would want to drink it? Iodine-flavored water I don't think is exactly the taste sensation that's sweeping the nation, right? But that's where the Kool-Aid comes in! They mix in some Kool-Aid. It actually makes that bitter water sweet, they tell me!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Sweetener."
When God's people were navigating the wilderness in the Old Testament, well, of course, Kool-Aid had not been invented yet. But they did have a bitter water situation and a miracle that changed everything. The story is in Exodus 15, beginning with verse 22. It's actually our word for today from the Word of God.
Here's what it says. "For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter...So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'What are we to drink?' Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood He threw into the water, and the water became sweet." Amazing! God miraculously changes what was bitter into something sweet. You know, He's still doing that miracle today - with bitter people, with bitter feelings, with bitter situations.
And that might be exactly what you need to be praying for right now. Actually, "crying out to the Lord for," as it says Moses did. That's not just a casual, trite little prayer. That's a desperate cry to God for something so hard that only He can do it. Right now, you may be thinking of someone in your personal world who is bitter. There's resentment, sarcasm, cynicism, anger, and maybe un-forgiveness. The good news is that God is the world's leading Heart Surgeon; He can change a heart in ways that no human could ever dream. But you need to be faithfully, fervently, praying for God to do whatever it takes to change the heart of that bitter person. Especially if that bitter person is you.
The Bible makes it clear that you "miss the grace of God" when you let a "bitter root" grow in you. And your bitterness will, according to God, "cause trouble and defile many" (Hebrews 12:15). But maybe your bitter pond isn't a person; it's a situation you're in right now. God has the power to sweeten a bitter situation, as well as a bitter person.
But God may have a "piece of wood" that He wants you to throw into the bitter waters. Maybe it's that apology you need to give, a letter that you need to write, or an email you need to send, some forgiving you need to do, a healing step that you know you need to take. As you pray about the bitter, ask God if there's a step He wants you to take in bringing about a sweetening miracle.
Don't underestimate the power of Almighty God to sweeten what you thought would always be bitter. If you'll trust and you'll obey; trust God to change things and obey His orders to make it happen. With a God as powerful and loving as ours, no bitter pond has to stay bitter. Not when God does His miracle of making bitter things sweet.
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 19
Faithfully Present
The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.
Luke 19:10 (NCV)
Our God is the God who follows. Have you sensed him following you? He is the one who came to seek and save the lost. Have you sensed him seeking you?
Have you felt his presence through the kindness of a stranger? Through the majesty of a sunset or the mystery of romance? Through the question of a child or the commitment of a spouse? Through a word well spoken or a touch well timed, have you sensed him?...
God gives us himself. Even when we choose our hovel over his house and our trash over his grace, still he follows. Never forcing us. Never leaving us. Patiently persistent. Faithfully present. He uses all his power to convince us that he is who he is and he can be trusted to lead us home.
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 19
Faithfully Present
The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.
Luke 19:10 (NCV)
Our God is the God who follows. Have you sensed him following you? He is the one who came to seek and save the lost. Have you sensed him seeking you?
Have you felt his presence through the kindness of a stranger? Through the majesty of a sunset or the mystery of romance? Through the question of a child or the commitment of a spouse? Through a word well spoken or a touch well timed, have you sensed him?...
God gives us himself. Even when we choose our hovel over his house and our trash over his grace, still he follows. Never forcing us. Never leaving us. Patiently persistent. Faithfully present. He uses all his power to convince us that he is who he is and he can be trusted to lead us home.
Luke 8
The Story of the Farmer
1 After this, Jesus traveled around from one town and village to another. He announced the good news of God's kingdom. The Twelve were with him. 2 So were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses. One was Mary Magdalene. Seven demons had come out of her. 3 Another was Joanna, the wife of Cuza. He was the manager of Herod's household. Susanna and many others were there also. These women were helping to support Jesus and the Twelve with their own money.
4 A large crowd gathered together. People came to Jesus from town after town. As they did, he told a story. He said, 5 "A farmer went out to plant his seed. He scattered the seed on the ground. Some fell on a path. People walked on it, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some seed fell on rocky places. When it grew, the plants dried up because they had no water. 7 Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up with it and crowded out the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It grew up and produced a crop 100 times more than the farmer planted."
When Jesus said this, he called out, "Those who have ears should listen."
9 His disciples asked him what the story meant.
10 He said, "You have been given the chance to understand the secrets of God's kingdom. But to outsiders I speak by using stories. In that way,
" 'They see, but they will not know what they are seeing.
They hear, but they will not understand what they are hearing.' —(Isaiah 6:9)
11 "Here is what the story means. The seed is God's message. 12 People on the path are those who hear. But then the devil comes. He takes away the message from their hearts. He does it so they won't believe. Then they can't be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who hear the message and receive it with joy. But they have no roots. They believe for a while. But when they are put to the test, they fall away from the faith. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear the message. But as they go on their way, they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures. So they do not reach full growth.
15 "But the seed on good soil stands for those with an honest and good heart. They hear the message. They keep it in their hearts. They remain faithful and produce a good crop.
A Lamp on a Stand
16 "People do not light a lamp and then hide it in a jar or put it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand. Then those who come in can see its light. 17 What is hidden will be seen. And what is out of sight will be brought into the open and made known.
18 "So be careful how you listen. If you have something, you will be given more. If you have nothing, even what you think you have will be taken away from you."
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
19 Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him. But they could not get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside. They want to see you."
21 He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and do what it says."
Jesus Calms the Storm
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and left.
23 As they sailed, Jesus fell asleep. A storm came down on the lake. It was so bad that the boat was about to sink. They were in great danger.
24 The disciples went and woke Jesus up. They said, "Master! Master! We're going to drown!"
He got up and ordered the wind and the huge waves to stop. The storm quieted down. It was completely calm.
25 "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.
They were amazed and full of fear. They asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him."
Jesus Heals a Man Controlled by Demons
26 Jesus and his disciples sailed to the area of the Gerasenes across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped on shore, he was met by a man from the town. The man was controlled by demons. For a long time he had not worn clothes or lived in a house. He lived in the tombs.
28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet. He shouted at the top of his voice, "Jesus, Son of the Most High God, what do you want with me? I beg you, don't hurt me!"
29 This was because Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times the spirit had taken hold of him. His hands and feet were chained, and he was kept under guard. But he had broken his chains. And then the demon had forced him to go out into lonely places in the countryside.
30 Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"
"Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus again and again not to order them to go into the Abyss.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. And he allowed it.
33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs. Then the herd rushed down the steep bank. They ran into the lake and drowned.
34 Those who were tending the pigs saw what had happened. They ran off and reported it in the town and countryside. 35 The people went out to see what had happened.
Then they came to Jesus. They found the man who was now free of the demons. He was sitting at Jesus' feet. He was dressed and thinking clearly. All this made the people afraid.
36 Those who had seen it told the others how the man who had been controlled by demons was now healed. 37 Then all the people who lived in the area of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them. They were filled with fear. So he got into the boat and left.
38 The man who was now free of the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him away. He said to him, 39 "Return home and tell how much God has done for you."
So the man went away. He told people all over town how much Jesus had done for him.
A Dying Girl and a Suffering Woman
40 When Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him. They were all expecting him.
41 Then a man named Jairus came. He was a synagogue ruler. He fell at Jesus' feet. He begged Jesus to come to his house. 42 His only daughter was dying. She was about 12 years old.
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him.
43 A woman was there who had a sickness that made her bleed. Her sickness had lasted for 12 years. No one could heal her. 44 She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his clothes. Right away her bleeding stopped.
45 "Who touched me?" Jesus asked.
They all said they didn't do it. Then Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pushing against you."
46 But Jesus said, "Someone touched me. I know that power has gone out from me."
47 The woman realized that people would notice her. Shaking with fear, she came and fell at his feet. In front of everyone, she told why she had touched him. She also told how she had been healed in an instant.
48 Then he said to her, "Dear woman, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."
49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus. Jairus was the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," the messenger said. "Don't bother the teacher anymore."
50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just believe. She will be healed."
51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let everyone go in with him. He took only Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother.
52 During this time, all the people were crying and sobbing loudly over the child. "Stop crying!" Jesus said. "She is not dead. She is sleeping."
53 They laughed at him. They knew she was dead.
54 But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!"
55 Her spirit returned, and right away she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were amazed. But Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Genesis 39
Joseph and Potiphar's Wife
1 Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar had bought him from the Ishmaelite traders who had taken him there. Potiphar was one of Pharaoh's officials. He was the captain of the palace guard.
2 The Lord was with Joseph. He gave him great success. Joseph lived in Potiphar's house.
3 Joseph's master saw that the Lord was with him. He saw that the Lord gave Joseph success in everything he did. 4 So Potiphar was pleased with Joseph. He made him his attendant. He put Joseph in charge of his house. He told Joseph to take good care of everything he owned.
5 From that time on, the Lord blessed Potiphar's family and servants because of Joseph. He blessed everything Potiphar had in his house and field.
6 So Potiphar told Joseph to take good care of everything he owned. With Joseph in charge, he didn't have to worry about anything except the food he ate.
Joseph was strong and handsome. 7 After a while, his master's wife noticed Joseph. She said to him, "Make love to me!"
8 But he said no. "My master has put me in charge," he told her. "Now he doesn't have to worry about anything in the house. He trusts me to take care of everything he owns.
9 "No one in this house is in a higher position than I am. My master hasn't held anything back from me, except you. You are his wife. So how could I do an evil thing like that? How could I sin against God?"
10 She spoke to Joseph day after day. But he told her he wouldn't make love to her. He didn't even want to be with her.
11 One day Joseph went into the house to take care of his duties. None of the family servants was inside.
12 Potiphar's wife grabbed hold of him by his coat. "Make love to me!" she said. But he left his coat in her hand. And he ran out of the house.
June 19, 2009
The Tempted Brothers
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READ: Genesis 39:1-12
How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? —Genesis 39:9
Two brothers—both far from home —faced similar temptations. One, working away from the family, fell to the schemes of a younger woman. His sin led to embarrassment and family turmoil. The other, separated from loved ones because of family turmoil, resisted the advances of an older woman. His faithfulness led to rescue and renewal for the family.
Who are these brothers? Judah, who fell to the desperate scheme of his neglected daughter-in-law Tamar (Gen. 38). And Joseph, who ran from the arms of Potiphar’s wife (Gen. 39). One chapter, an ugly story of irresponsibility and deception; the other, a beautiful chapter of faithfulness.
The stories of Judah and Joseph, presented back-to-back in the midst of “the history of Jacob” (37:2), show us that temptation itself is not the problem. Everybody faces temptation, even Jesus did (Matt. 4:1-11). But how do we face temptation? Do we demonstrate that faith in God can shield us from giving in to sin?
Joseph gave us one way of escape: Recognize sin as an affront to God and run from it. Jesus gave another: Answer temptation with truth from God’s Word.
Facing temptation? See it as an opportunity to make God and His Word real in your life. Then run! — Dave Branon
For Further Study
To gain insight into how to say no to temptation, check out Resisting The Lure: Recognizing The Dangers Of Sexual Temptation at www.discoveryseries.org/q0707
We fall into temptation when we don’t stand against it.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 19, 2009
My Utmost for His Highest
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READ:
. . . do you love Me? . . . Tend My sheep —John 21:16
Jesus did not say to make converts to your way of thinking, but He said to look after His sheep, to see that they get nourished in the knowledge of Him. We consider what we do in the way of Christian work as service, yet Jesus Christ calls service to be what we are to Him, not what we do for Him. Discipleship is based solely on devotion to Jesus Christ, not on following after a particular belief or doctrine. "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate . . . , he cannot be My disciple" ( Luke 14:26 ). In this verse, there is no argument and no pressure from Jesus to follow Him; He is simply saying, in effect, "If you want to be My disciple, you must be devoted solely to Me." A person touched by the Spirit of God suddenly says, "Now I see who Jesus is!"— that is the source of devotion.
Today we have substituted doctrinal belief for personal belief, and that is why so many people are devoted to causes and so few are devoted to Jesus Christ. People do not really want to be devoted to Jesus, but only to the cause He started. Jesus Christ is deeply offensive to the educated minds of today, to those who only want Him to be their Friend, and who are unwilling to accept Him in any other way. Our Lord’s primary obedience was to the will of His Father, not to the needs of people— the saving of people was the natural outcome of His obedience to the Father. If I am devoted solely to the cause of humanity, I will soon be exhausted and come to the point where my love will waver and stumble. But if I love Jesus Christ personally and passionately, I can serve humanity, even though people may treat me like a "doormat." The secret of a disciple’s life is devotion to Jesus Christ, and the characteristic of that life is its seeming insignificance and its meekness. Yet it is like a grain of wheat that "falls into the ground and dies"— it will spring up and change the entire landscape ( John 12:24 ).
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
The Sweetener - #5855
Friday, June 19, 2009
A friend of mine and his son love to take off backpacking along the beautiful river near their house. And they've learned some interesting "tricks of the trade" to make sure they have clean water to drink without the weight of having to carry water with them all the time. They take iodine pills with them on their hikes. Apparently, they can collect some water from the river, dissolve iodine in it, and the water comes out clean. But then who would want to drink it? Iodine-flavored water I don't think is exactly the taste sensation that's sweeping the nation, right? But that's where the Kool-Aid comes in! They mix in some Kool-Aid. It actually makes that bitter water sweet, they tell me!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Sweetener."
When God's people were navigating the wilderness in the Old Testament, well, of course, Kool-Aid had not been invented yet. But they did have a bitter water situation and a miracle that changed everything. The story is in Exodus 15, beginning with verse 22. It's actually our word for today from the Word of God.
Here's what it says. "For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter...So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'What are we to drink?' Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood He threw into the water, and the water became sweet." Amazing! God miraculously changes what was bitter into something sweet. You know, He's still doing that miracle today - with bitter people, with bitter feelings, with bitter situations.
And that might be exactly what you need to be praying for right now. Actually, "crying out to the Lord for," as it says Moses did. That's not just a casual, trite little prayer. That's a desperate cry to God for something so hard that only He can do it. Right now, you may be thinking of someone in your personal world who is bitter. There's resentment, sarcasm, cynicism, anger, and maybe un-forgiveness. The good news is that God is the world's leading Heart Surgeon; He can change a heart in ways that no human could ever dream. But you need to be faithfully, fervently, praying for God to do whatever it takes to change the heart of that bitter person. Especially if that bitter person is you.
The Bible makes it clear that you "miss the grace of God" when you let a "bitter root" grow in you. And your bitterness will, according to God, "cause trouble and defile many" (Hebrews 12:15). But maybe your bitter pond isn't a person; it's a situation you're in right now. God has the power to sweeten a bitter situation, as well as a bitter person.
But God may have a "piece of wood" that He wants you to throw into the bitter waters. Maybe it's that apology you need to give, a letter that you need to write, or an email you need to send, some forgiving you need to do, a healing step that you know you need to take. As you pray about the bitter, ask God if there's a step He wants you to take in bringing about a sweetening miracle.
Don't underestimate the power of Almighty God to sweeten what you thought would always be bitter. If you'll trust and you'll obey; trust God to change things and obey His orders to make it happen. With a God as powerful and loving as ours, no bitter pond has to stay bitter. Not when God does His miracle of making bitter things sweet.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Mark 10, Bible reading and daily devotionals
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 18
Don’t Forget
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself...encourage you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.
2 Thessalonians 2:16 (NCV)
Are you still in love with Jesus? Before you remember anything, remember him. If you forget anything, don't forget him.
Oh, but how quickly we forget. So much happens through the years. So many changes within. So many alterations without. And, somewhere, back there, we leave him. We don't turn away from him...we just don't take him with us. Assignments come. Promotions come. Budgets are made. Kids are born, and the Christ...the Christ is forgotten.
Has it been a while since you stared at the heavens in speechless amazement? Has it been a while since you realized God's divinity and your carnality?
If it has, then you need to know something. He is still there. He hasn't left.
Mark 10
Divorce
1Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.
2Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"
3"What did Moses command you?" he replied.
4They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."
5"It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. 6"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.'[a] 7'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[b] 8and the two will become one flesh.'[c] So they are no longer two, but one. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
10When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."
The Little Children and Jesus
13People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
The Rich Young Man
17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'[d]"
20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is[e] to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
26The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"
27Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
32They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33"We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise."
The Request of James and John
35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."
36"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
37They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."
38"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"
39"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."
41When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight
46Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." 50Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
52"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Acts 4:5-13 (New International Version)
5The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11He is
" 'the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.[a]'[b] 12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
June 18, 2009
Passionate Boldness
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READ: Acts 4:5-13
When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, . . . they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. —Acts 4:13
A young man was preaching to the passersby in Hounslow, on the outskirts of London, England. Most ignored him, a few ridiculed, and several stopped to listen. But regardless of the reaction of the people, he was undeterred. With a strong voice and clear resolve, he poured out his heart—not with the words of an angry prophet, but with deep concern for the men and women on that street. His eyes, facial expressions, and tone of voice revealed an attitude of compassion, not condemnation. In it all, he boldly shared the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
In Acts 4, when the church was still new, Peter and John also boldly addressed the people of their generation. The response of the leaders of their day? “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (v.13). That boldness was not the fruit of ministerial training but of much time spent in the presence of the Master. As a result, they had become passionate about what concerned Christ—the eternal destiny of men and women.
That same passionate boldness was on the face of the young man in Hounslow. Do people see it in us? — Bill Crowder
Will you be bold in your witness
By giving lost sinners God’s Word?
Jesus will honor your service,
And sinners will surely be stirred. —Bosch
A Christian is an ambassador who speaks for the King of kings.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 18, 2009
Keep Recognizing Jesus
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READ:
. . . Peter . . . walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid . . . —Matthew 14:29-30
The wind really was boisterous and the waves really were high, but Peter didn’t see them at first. He didn’t consider them at all; he simply recognized his Lord, stepped out in recognition of Him, and "walked on the water." Then he began to take those things around him into account, and instantly, down he went. Why couldn’t our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves, as well as on top of them? He could have, yet neither could be done without Peter’s continuing recognition of the Lord Jesus.
We step right out with recognition of God in some things, then self-consideration enters our lives and down we go. If you are truly recognizing your Lord, you have no business being concerned about how and where He engineers your circumstances. The things surrounding you are real, but when you look at them you are immediately overwhelmed, and even unable to recognize Jesus. Then comes His rebuke, ". . . why did you doubt?" ( Matthew 14:31 ). Let your actual circumstances be what they may, but keep recognizing Jesus, maintaining complete reliance upon Him.
If you debate for even one second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never start to say, "Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?" Be reckless immediately— totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything— by casting your all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself, surrendering everything to Him. It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him. You will only recognize His voice more clearly through recklessness— being willing to risk your all.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Finding Your Father - #5854
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Our friend - we'll call her Diane - shocked her family years ago when she announced at the age of 17 that she was pregnant. Even with some folks urging her to have an abortion, she made the choice to have that child - a son. When her son was seven, Diane met a guy we'll call Gary, and she knew they were falling in love. With some fear and trembling, she told him about her son. Gary said, "Let's go meet him." And Diane's boy took to Gary immediately. Diane and Gary got married, and the boy grew up with a wonderful relationship with Gary. But something happened when he turned 17; this unexplainable rebellion that ultimately made him decide to go live with his biological father. A few months later, he returned to the home that he'd grown up in. He had made a powerful discovery in those intervening months. He said to Gary, "You're the one I walk like, you're the one I talk like, and I do things the way you taught me. You are my father!"
I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Finding Your Father."
In that emotional, unforgettable moment, a young man decided who his father really was, and who would be the anchor for his identity as a son. It may be that someone listening today needs to make a choice like that about the One the Bible actually calls the "father to the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5). There's a reason that God chose, out of all the names He could have asked us to call Him, the name "Heavenly Father."
In my lifetime, I've known many people who have come from a very rough background, sometimes a fatherless background, either because they never knew their father or they had one that never acted like one. I've known people who have come from a background where they never really felt like they belonged and they still feel that way. Maybe I've described you in some way.
I have to tell you that so many people who have lived emotionally unanchored and painful lives have found something amazing when they found Jesus Christ: they found the Father that their heart had yearned for so long. There is so much hope for hurting people in our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 10:14. It says, "But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; You consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless."
But like that young man who made the choice that Gary was his father, you have to come to the place where you make that deliberate choice about the God who made you; about Jesus Christ, who loved you enough to come all the way from His throne in heaven to an old rugged cross to die to get you back. Nobody can love you like He does. But you have to decide that you will no longer define yourself as "the victim," that you will no longer define yourself by some other relationship that can never be what you really need, and that you will, from this day forward say, "I know who I am. I belong to Jesus Christ. I am totally His, for now and forever!"
That's coming home to the identity that you were made for. You've been away, trying to get other people and other things to do for you what only Jesus can do. Let this be the day that you come home to Him and say, "Jesus, you died for me, and I'm Yours." If you want to begin that anchor relationship with Jesus Christ, a good place to start is simply to stop where you are as soon as you can and say, "Jesus, I've run my own life. I'm done doing that. You were meant to run it. I turn from that, and I believe that You love me so much You died the death penalty for every wrong thing I have ever done. I'm Yours from this very day."
You know, from that moment on, you have a relationship and a love that you will never lose. Actually, I think you'll find some things there that will help you be sure that you have begun your relationship with Christ and discovered the Father you were made for. The website is YoursForLife.net. I hope you'll check it out.
Let Him be the one you follow, and live with that sense of security that belongs only to those who belong to Jesus Christ.
June 18
Don’t Forget
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself...encourage you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.
2 Thessalonians 2:16 (NCV)
Are you still in love with Jesus? Before you remember anything, remember him. If you forget anything, don't forget him.
Oh, but how quickly we forget. So much happens through the years. So many changes within. So many alterations without. And, somewhere, back there, we leave him. We don't turn away from him...we just don't take him with us. Assignments come. Promotions come. Budgets are made. Kids are born, and the Christ...the Christ is forgotten.
Has it been a while since you stared at the heavens in speechless amazement? Has it been a while since you realized God's divinity and your carnality?
If it has, then you need to know something. He is still there. He hasn't left.
Mark 10
Divorce
1Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.
2Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"
3"What did Moses command you?" he replied.
4They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."
5"It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. 6"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.'[a] 7'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[b] 8and the two will become one flesh.'[c] So they are no longer two, but one. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
10When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."
The Little Children and Jesus
13People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
The Rich Young Man
17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'[d]"
20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is[e] to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
26The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"
27Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
32They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33"We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise."
The Request of James and John
35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."
36"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
37They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."
38"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"
39"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."
41When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight
46Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." 50Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
52"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Acts 4:5-13 (New International Version)
5The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11He is
" 'the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.[a]'[b] 12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
June 18, 2009
Passionate Boldness
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READ: Acts 4:5-13
When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, . . . they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. —Acts 4:13
A young man was preaching to the passersby in Hounslow, on the outskirts of London, England. Most ignored him, a few ridiculed, and several stopped to listen. But regardless of the reaction of the people, he was undeterred. With a strong voice and clear resolve, he poured out his heart—not with the words of an angry prophet, but with deep concern for the men and women on that street. His eyes, facial expressions, and tone of voice revealed an attitude of compassion, not condemnation. In it all, he boldly shared the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
In Acts 4, when the church was still new, Peter and John also boldly addressed the people of their generation. The response of the leaders of their day? “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (v.13). That boldness was not the fruit of ministerial training but of much time spent in the presence of the Master. As a result, they had become passionate about what concerned Christ—the eternal destiny of men and women.
That same passionate boldness was on the face of the young man in Hounslow. Do people see it in us? — Bill Crowder
Will you be bold in your witness
By giving lost sinners God’s Word?
Jesus will honor your service,
And sinners will surely be stirred. —Bosch
A Christian is an ambassador who speaks for the King of kings.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 18, 2009
Keep Recognizing Jesus
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READ:
. . . Peter . . . walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid . . . —Matthew 14:29-30
The wind really was boisterous and the waves really were high, but Peter didn’t see them at first. He didn’t consider them at all; he simply recognized his Lord, stepped out in recognition of Him, and "walked on the water." Then he began to take those things around him into account, and instantly, down he went. Why couldn’t our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves, as well as on top of them? He could have, yet neither could be done without Peter’s continuing recognition of the Lord Jesus.
We step right out with recognition of God in some things, then self-consideration enters our lives and down we go. If you are truly recognizing your Lord, you have no business being concerned about how and where He engineers your circumstances. The things surrounding you are real, but when you look at them you are immediately overwhelmed, and even unable to recognize Jesus. Then comes His rebuke, ". . . why did you doubt?" ( Matthew 14:31 ). Let your actual circumstances be what they may, but keep recognizing Jesus, maintaining complete reliance upon Him.
If you debate for even one second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never start to say, "Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?" Be reckless immediately— totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything— by casting your all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself, surrendering everything to Him. It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him. You will only recognize His voice more clearly through recklessness— being willing to risk your all.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Finding Your Father - #5854
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Our friend - we'll call her Diane - shocked her family years ago when she announced at the age of 17 that she was pregnant. Even with some folks urging her to have an abortion, she made the choice to have that child - a son. When her son was seven, Diane met a guy we'll call Gary, and she knew they were falling in love. With some fear and trembling, she told him about her son. Gary said, "Let's go meet him." And Diane's boy took to Gary immediately. Diane and Gary got married, and the boy grew up with a wonderful relationship with Gary. But something happened when he turned 17; this unexplainable rebellion that ultimately made him decide to go live with his biological father. A few months later, he returned to the home that he'd grown up in. He had made a powerful discovery in those intervening months. He said to Gary, "You're the one I walk like, you're the one I talk like, and I do things the way you taught me. You are my father!"
I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Finding Your Father."
In that emotional, unforgettable moment, a young man decided who his father really was, and who would be the anchor for his identity as a son. It may be that someone listening today needs to make a choice like that about the One the Bible actually calls the "father to the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5). There's a reason that God chose, out of all the names He could have asked us to call Him, the name "Heavenly Father."
In my lifetime, I've known many people who have come from a very rough background, sometimes a fatherless background, either because they never knew their father or they had one that never acted like one. I've known people who have come from a background where they never really felt like they belonged and they still feel that way. Maybe I've described you in some way.
I have to tell you that so many people who have lived emotionally unanchored and painful lives have found something amazing when they found Jesus Christ: they found the Father that their heart had yearned for so long. There is so much hope for hurting people in our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 10:14. It says, "But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; You consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless."
But like that young man who made the choice that Gary was his father, you have to come to the place where you make that deliberate choice about the God who made you; about Jesus Christ, who loved you enough to come all the way from His throne in heaven to an old rugged cross to die to get you back. Nobody can love you like He does. But you have to decide that you will no longer define yourself as "the victim," that you will no longer define yourself by some other relationship that can never be what you really need, and that you will, from this day forward say, "I know who I am. I belong to Jesus Christ. I am totally His, for now and forever!"
That's coming home to the identity that you were made for. You've been away, trying to get other people and other things to do for you what only Jesus can do. Let this be the day that you come home to Him and say, "Jesus, you died for me, and I'm Yours." If you want to begin that anchor relationship with Jesus Christ, a good place to start is simply to stop where you are as soon as you can and say, "Jesus, I've run my own life. I'm done doing that. You were meant to run it. I turn from that, and I believe that You love me so much You died the death penalty for every wrong thing I have ever done. I'm Yours from this very day."
You know, from that moment on, you have a relationship and a love that you will never lose. Actually, I think you'll find some things there that will help you be sure that you have begun your relationship with Christ and discovered the Father you were made for. The website is YoursForLife.net. I hope you'll check it out.
Let Him be the one you follow, and live with that sense of security that belongs only to those who belong to Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Matthew 7, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 17
God’s Good Timing
God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them.
Luke 18:7 (NCV)
Why does God wait until the money is gone? Why does he wait until the sickness has lingered? Why does he choose to wait until the other side of the grave to answer the prayers for healing?
I don't know. I only know his timing is always right. I can only say he will do what is best....
Matthew 7
Be Fair When You Judge Others
1 "Do not judge others. Then you will not be judged. 2 You will be judged in the same way you judge others. You will be measured in the same way you measure others.
3 "You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend's eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye. 4 How can you say to your friend, 'Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye'? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye?
5 "You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend's eye.
6 "Do not give holy things to dogs. Do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they might walk all over them. Then they might turn around and tear you to pieces.
Ask, Search, Knock
7 "Ask, and it will be given to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. He who searches will find. The door will be opened to the one who knocks.
9 "Suppose your son asks for bread. Which of you will give him a stone? 10 Or suppose he asks for a fish. Which of you will give him a snake? 11 Even though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
12 "In everything, do to others what you would want them to do to you. This is what is written in the Law and in the Prophets.
The Large and Small Gates
13 "Enter God's kingdom through the narrow gate. The gate is large and the road is wide that lead to death and hell. Many people go that way. 14 But the gate is small and the road is narrow that lead to life. Only a few people find it.
A Tree and Its Fruit
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you pretending to be sheep. But on the inside they are hungry wolves. 16 You can tell what they really are by what they do.
"Do people pick grapes from bushes? Do they pick figs from thorns? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit. But a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree can't bear bad fruit. And a bad tree can't bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down. It is thrown into the fire. 20 You can tell each tree by its fruit.
21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter.
22 "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord! Lord! Didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we drive out demons in your name? Didn't we do many miracles in your name?' 23 Then I will tell them clearly, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who do evil!'
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 "So then, everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man. He builds his house on the rock. 25 The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. But it does not fall. It is built on the rock.
26 "But everyone who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man. He builds his house on sand. 27 The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. And it falls with a loud crash."
28 Jesus finished saying all these things. The crowds were amazed at his teaching. 29 He taught like one who had authority. He did not speak like their teachers of the law.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Mark 12:41-44 (New International Reader's Version)
The Widow's Offering
41 Jesus sat down across from the place where people put their temple offerings. He watched the crowd putting their money into the offering boxes. Many rich people threw large amounts into them.
42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins. They were worth much less than a penny.
43 Jesus asked his disciples to come to him. He said, "What I'm about to tell you is true. That poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. 44 They all gave a lot because they are rich. But she gave even though she is poor. She put in everything she had. She gave all she had to live on."
June 17, 2009
Common Cents
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READ: Mark 12:41-44
[Jesus said,] “This poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury.” —Mark 12:43
In 1987, Mike Hayes, a freshman at the University of Illinois, found a unique way to finance his education. He convinced a popular columnist at the Chicago Tribune to ask his readers to “send in a penny for Mike.”
“Just one penny,” Hayes said. “A penny doesn’t mean anything to anyone. If everyone . . . looks around the room right now, there will be a penny under the couch cushion . . . or on the floor. That’s all I’m asking. A penny from each of your readers.”
In less than a month the fund was up to 2.3 million cents. Donations came in from all over the US, as well as Mexico, Canada, and the Bahamas. Mike eventually ended up with $28,000!
The common cent just isn’t worth much—unless it’s added to a whole bunch of other pennies. The woman we read about in Mark 12 gave the equivalent of a fraction of a penny, which was “all that she had” (v.44). But Jesus honored that little bit.
The widow’s sacrifice was an example and an encouragement to the disciples—and to us. She gave all she had. Have we ever been so generous? Jesus used an unnamed widow to teach us what giving is all about.
It was less than a cent, yet it was a priceless gift of love to God. — Cindy Hess Kasper
One grace each child of God can show
Is giving from a willing heart;
Yet, if we wait till riches grow,
It well may be we’ll never start. —D. De Haan
God looks at the heart, not the hand; the giver, not the gift.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 17, 2009
Beware of Criticizing Others
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READ:
Judge not, that you be not judged —Matthew 7:1
Jesus’ instructions with regard to judging others is very simply put; He says, "Don’t." The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized. The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood. Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of time. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person.
There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own (see Matthew 7:3-5 ). Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24 ). Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person’s situation. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us. I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Too Busy for the Beauty - #5853
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
As we drove through Utah that day I kept "oohing" and "ahhing" at one magnificent view after another. Majestic mountains, rugged terrain, fabulous vistas - I loved it! Then my wife reminded me that I'd seen all this before. Or, more accurately, I should have seen it before. See, I had traveled these same scenic highways on a bus with our Native American outreach team On Eagles' Wings a couple of years before. But much of the time, I had my head down, I was buried in work or preparation or I was busy talking with one of the team members. In the process, I totally missed some of this country's greatest beauty.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Too Busy for the Beauty."
So I missed some wonderful beauty because I was too busy. Unfortunately, that's not the only time in my life that I've made that mistake. And I don't think I'm the only one who's made it. In our overheated, overscheduled lives, it's just so easy to speed right by some things that are too beautiful to miss - in our surroundings, in our son, our daughter, our grandchild, our husband or wife, in the blessings that God is unfolding right in front of us. And even in hearing the voice of God.
Many of us have been (well, here's a word that isn't one) "Martha-ed." Now, even though it's not a word, it is a familiar reality. Let's watch busy, busy Martha missing the beauty around her in our word for today from the Word of God. It's in Luke 10, beginning with verse 38, and there I see a mirror almost. I see what I'm like sometimes. Maybe it's a mirror for you, too.
Here's what it says. "Martha opened her home to Jesus. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better.'"
Now, Martha has the Son of God in her home! Mary realizes what an opportunity this is, but Martha's so busy she misses it. And she turns negative toward her sister and she starts attacking her. Martha is the patron saint of all of us who are sometimes too busy to stop and see the beauty right in front of us. For someone listening today, God is trying to say to you, "Would you slow down and smell the flowers?" You are missing precious, never-again moments in the life of your child, or in your relationship with your husband or wife, moments that will never come again. Or maybe beauty in other people that you care about. Your busyness may have made you mechanical, robotic, brittle, maybe even insensitive or mean. Well, that kind of busy is too busy.
And maybe, like Martha, you've even become so busy that you're even missing time with Jesus. Your time to listen at His feet has been crowded to the edges instead of being the sun around which all the other planets of your life revolve. You're missing God's voice. You're missing God's fingerprints all over your day. You're speeding by a lot of things that really, really matter.
It's time to look at those priorities, isn't it? So many beautiful things are right in front of you, but you're doing so much, moving so fast that you're missing them. These are moments, memories and opportunities that may never be there again. Don't let them slip through your fingers.
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 17
God’s Good Timing
God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them.
Luke 18:7 (NCV)
Why does God wait until the money is gone? Why does he wait until the sickness has lingered? Why does he choose to wait until the other side of the grave to answer the prayers for healing?
I don't know. I only know his timing is always right. I can only say he will do what is best....
Matthew 7
Be Fair When You Judge Others
1 "Do not judge others. Then you will not be judged. 2 You will be judged in the same way you judge others. You will be measured in the same way you measure others.
3 "You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend's eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye. 4 How can you say to your friend, 'Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye'? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye?
5 "You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend's eye.
6 "Do not give holy things to dogs. Do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they might walk all over them. Then they might turn around and tear you to pieces.
Ask, Search, Knock
7 "Ask, and it will be given to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. He who searches will find. The door will be opened to the one who knocks.
9 "Suppose your son asks for bread. Which of you will give him a stone? 10 Or suppose he asks for a fish. Which of you will give him a snake? 11 Even though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
12 "In everything, do to others what you would want them to do to you. This is what is written in the Law and in the Prophets.
The Large and Small Gates
13 "Enter God's kingdom through the narrow gate. The gate is large and the road is wide that lead to death and hell. Many people go that way. 14 But the gate is small and the road is narrow that lead to life. Only a few people find it.
A Tree and Its Fruit
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you pretending to be sheep. But on the inside they are hungry wolves. 16 You can tell what they really are by what they do.
"Do people pick grapes from bushes? Do they pick figs from thorns? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit. But a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree can't bear bad fruit. And a bad tree can't bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down. It is thrown into the fire. 20 You can tell each tree by its fruit.
21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter.
22 "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord! Lord! Didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we drive out demons in your name? Didn't we do many miracles in your name?' 23 Then I will tell them clearly, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who do evil!'
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 "So then, everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man. He builds his house on the rock. 25 The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. But it does not fall. It is built on the rock.
26 "But everyone who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man. He builds his house on sand. 27 The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. And it falls with a loud crash."
28 Jesus finished saying all these things. The crowds were amazed at his teaching. 29 He taught like one who had authority. He did not speak like their teachers of the law.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Mark 12:41-44 (New International Reader's Version)
The Widow's Offering
41 Jesus sat down across from the place where people put their temple offerings. He watched the crowd putting their money into the offering boxes. Many rich people threw large amounts into them.
42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins. They were worth much less than a penny.
43 Jesus asked his disciples to come to him. He said, "What I'm about to tell you is true. That poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. 44 They all gave a lot because they are rich. But she gave even though she is poor. She put in everything she had. She gave all she had to live on."
June 17, 2009
Common Cents
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Mark 12:41-44
[Jesus said,] “This poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury.” —Mark 12:43
In 1987, Mike Hayes, a freshman at the University of Illinois, found a unique way to finance his education. He convinced a popular columnist at the Chicago Tribune to ask his readers to “send in a penny for Mike.”
“Just one penny,” Hayes said. “A penny doesn’t mean anything to anyone. If everyone . . . looks around the room right now, there will be a penny under the couch cushion . . . or on the floor. That’s all I’m asking. A penny from each of your readers.”
In less than a month the fund was up to 2.3 million cents. Donations came in from all over the US, as well as Mexico, Canada, and the Bahamas. Mike eventually ended up with $28,000!
The common cent just isn’t worth much—unless it’s added to a whole bunch of other pennies. The woman we read about in Mark 12 gave the equivalent of a fraction of a penny, which was “all that she had” (v.44). But Jesus honored that little bit.
The widow’s sacrifice was an example and an encouragement to the disciples—and to us. She gave all she had. Have we ever been so generous? Jesus used an unnamed widow to teach us what giving is all about.
It was less than a cent, yet it was a priceless gift of love to God. — Cindy Hess Kasper
One grace each child of God can show
Is giving from a willing heart;
Yet, if we wait till riches grow,
It well may be we’ll never start. —D. De Haan
God looks at the heart, not the hand; the giver, not the gift.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 17, 2009
Beware of Criticizing Others
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
Judge not, that you be not judged —Matthew 7:1
Jesus’ instructions with regard to judging others is very simply put; He says, "Don’t." The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized. The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood. Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of time. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person.
There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own (see Matthew 7:3-5 ). Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24 ). Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person’s situation. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us. I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Too Busy for the Beauty - #5853
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
As we drove through Utah that day I kept "oohing" and "ahhing" at one magnificent view after another. Majestic mountains, rugged terrain, fabulous vistas - I loved it! Then my wife reminded me that I'd seen all this before. Or, more accurately, I should have seen it before. See, I had traveled these same scenic highways on a bus with our Native American outreach team On Eagles' Wings a couple of years before. But much of the time, I had my head down, I was buried in work or preparation or I was busy talking with one of the team members. In the process, I totally missed some of this country's greatest beauty.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Too Busy for the Beauty."
So I missed some wonderful beauty because I was too busy. Unfortunately, that's not the only time in my life that I've made that mistake. And I don't think I'm the only one who's made it. In our overheated, overscheduled lives, it's just so easy to speed right by some things that are too beautiful to miss - in our surroundings, in our son, our daughter, our grandchild, our husband or wife, in the blessings that God is unfolding right in front of us. And even in hearing the voice of God.
Many of us have been (well, here's a word that isn't one) "Martha-ed." Now, even though it's not a word, it is a familiar reality. Let's watch busy, busy Martha missing the beauty around her in our word for today from the Word of God. It's in Luke 10, beginning with verse 38, and there I see a mirror almost. I see what I'm like sometimes. Maybe it's a mirror for you, too.
Here's what it says. "Martha opened her home to Jesus. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better.'"
Now, Martha has the Son of God in her home! Mary realizes what an opportunity this is, but Martha's so busy she misses it. And she turns negative toward her sister and she starts attacking her. Martha is the patron saint of all of us who are sometimes too busy to stop and see the beauty right in front of us. For someone listening today, God is trying to say to you, "Would you slow down and smell the flowers?" You are missing precious, never-again moments in the life of your child, or in your relationship with your husband or wife, moments that will never come again. Or maybe beauty in other people that you care about. Your busyness may have made you mechanical, robotic, brittle, maybe even insensitive or mean. Well, that kind of busy is too busy.
And maybe, like Martha, you've even become so busy that you're even missing time with Jesus. Your time to listen at His feet has been crowded to the edges instead of being the sun around which all the other planets of your life revolve. You're missing God's voice. You're missing God's fingerprints all over your day. You're speeding by a lot of things that really, really matter.
It's time to look at those priorities, isn't it? So many beautiful things are right in front of you, but you're doing so much, moving so fast that you're missing them. These are moments, memories and opportunities that may never be there again. Don't let them slip through your fingers.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Matthew 6, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 16
God’s Name
The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
Psalm 23:1 (NCV)
“You want to know who God really is?” David asks. “Then read this.” And he writes the name Yahweh. “Yahweh is my shepherd.”
Though foreign to us, the name was rich to David. So rich, in fact, that David chose Yahweh over El Shaddai (God Almighty), El Elyon (God Most High), and El Olam (God the Everlasting). These and many other titles for God were at David’s disposal. But when he considered all the options, David chose Yahweh.
Why Yahweh? Because Yahweh is God’s name. You can call me a preacher or writer or half-baked golfer—these are accurate descriptions, but these aren’t my names. I might call you dad, mom, doctor, or student, and those terms may describe you, but they aren’t your name. If you want to call me by my name, say Max. If I call you by your name, I say it. And if you want to call God by his name, say Yahweh.
Matthew 6
Giving to Needy People
1 "Be careful not to do 'good works' in front of others. Don't do them to be seen by others. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you.
2 "When you give to needy people, do not announce it by having trumpets blown. Do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They announce what they do in the synagogues and on the streets. They want to be honored by others. What I'm about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward.
3 "When you give to the needy, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Then your giving will be done secretly. Your Father will reward you. He sees what you do secretly.
Prayer
5 "When you pray, do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They want to be seen by others. What I'm about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward.
6 "When you pray, go into your room. Close the door and pray to your Father, who can't be seen. He will reward you. Your Father sees what is done secretly.
7 "When you pray, do not keep talking on and on the way ungodly people do. They think they will be heard because they talk a lot. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask him.
9 "This is how you should pray.
" 'Our Father in heaven,
may your name be honored.
10 May your kingdom come.
May what you want to happen be done
on earth as it is done in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our sins,
just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted.
Save us from the evil one.'
14 "Forgive people when they sin against you. If you do, your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive people their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Fasting
16 "When you go without eating, do not look gloomy like those who only pretend to be holy. They make their faces very sad. They want to show people they are fasting. What I'm about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward.
17 "But when you go without eating, put olive oil on your head. Wash your face. 18 Then others will not know that you are fasting. Only your Father, who can't be seen, will know it. He will reward you. Your Father sees what is done secretly.
Put Away Riches in Heaven
19 "Do not put away riches for yourselves on earth. Moths and rust can destroy them. Thieves can break in and steal them. 20 Instead, put away riches for yourselves in heaven. There, moths and rust do not destroy them. There, thieves do not break in and steal them. 21 Your heart will be where your riches are.
22 "The eye is like a lamp for the body. Suppose your eyes are good. Then your whole body will be full of light. 23 But suppose your eyes are bad. Then your whole body will be full of darkness. If the light inside you is darkness, then it is very dark!
24 "No one can serve two masters at the same time. He will hate one of them and love the other. Or he will be faithful to one and dislike the other. You can't serve God and Money at the same time.
Do Not Worry
25 "I tell you, do not worry. Don't worry about your life and what you will eat or drink. And don't worry about your body and what you will wear. Isn't there more to life than eating? Aren't there more important things for the body than clothes?
26 "Look at the birds of the air. They don't plant or gather crops. They don't put away crops in storerooms. But your Father who is in heaven feeds them. Aren't you worth much more than they are?
27 "Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the wild flowers grow. They don't work or make clothing. 29 But here is what I tell you. Not even Solomon in all of his glory was dressed like one of those flowers.
30 "If that is how God dresses the wild grass, won't he dress you even better? After all, the grass is here only today. Tomorrow it is thrown into the fire. Your faith is so small!
31 "So don't worry. Don't say, 'What will we eat?' Or, 'What will we drink?' Or, 'What will we wear?' 32 People who are ungodly run after all of those things. Your Father who is in heaven knows that you need them.
33 "But put God's kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all of those things will also be given to you.
34 "So don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Acts 2:40-47 (New International Reader's Version)
40 Peter said many other things to warn them. He begged them, "Save yourselves from these evil people." 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized. About 3,000 people joined the believers that day.
The Believers Share Life Together
42 The believers studied what the apostles taught. They shared life together. They broke bread and ate together. And they prayed. 43 Everyone felt that God was near. The apostles did many wonders and miraculous signs. 44 All the believers were together. They shared everything they had. 45 They sold what they owned. They gave each other everything they needed. 46 Every day they met together in the temple courtyard. In their homes they broke bread and ate together. Their hearts were glad and honest and true. 47 They praised God. They were respected by all the people. Every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
June 16, 2009
My Two Cents
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Acts 2:40-47
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so. —Proverbs 3:27
Recently, our family had to change Internet cable services. Our former provider promised to send us a postage-paid box to mail their equipment back to them. We waited. No box came. I phoned. The promised box still did not arrive, but we did get a bill for the equipment!
Wanting to get this resolved, I decided to return it at my own expense. I sent several faxes asking if they received it—but no reply. Then I got a refund check of $.02 for the returned equipment! An experience like that can be frustrating. A simple transaction was complicated by poor communication.
Sadly, some people in our churches may encounter an impersonal response to their needs. Whether seeking marital counseling, childcare, guidance for a troubled teen, or a loving community, they come away feeling uncared for.
The first-century church was not perfect, but it faithfully helped others. The church at Jerusalem “divided [their goods] among all, as anyone had need” (Acts 2:45).
Good communication is the starting point for learning others’ needs. This enables us to provide personal and practical help to people when they need it. Resources, both material and spiritual, can then be directed to each person as the object of God’s personal love. — Dennis Fisher
All who serve within the church
Should show by word and deed
A sensitivity to those
Who have a special need. —D. De Haan
God cares for you—care for others.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 16, 2009
"Will You Lay Down Your Life?"
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. . . . I have called you friends . . . —John 15:13, 15
Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said to the Lord, "I will lay down my life for Your sake," and he meant it ( John 13:37 ). He had a magnificent sense of the heroic. For us to be incapable of making this same statement Peter made would be a bad thing— our sense of duty is only fully realized through our sense of heroism. Has the Lord ever asked you, "Will you lay down your life for My sake?" ( John 13:38 ). It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. We are not made for the bright-shining moments of life, but we have to walk in the light of them in our everyday ways. There was only one bright-shining moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration. It was there that He emptied Himself of His glory for the second time, and then came down into the demon-possessed valley (seeMark 9:1-29 ). For thirty-three years Jesus laid down His life to do the will of His Father. "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" ( 1 John 3:16 ). Yet it is contrary to our human nature to do so.
If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is. Salvation is easy for us, because it cost God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult. God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, "Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful." And Jesus says to us, ". . . I have called you friends. . . ." Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Amazing Cleanup - #5852
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
My sister-in-law used to be involved with insurance claims. And it was not uncommon for her to have clients who had major messes to clean up. Imagine the damage that flood waters could do to a home, a major fire, or even frozen pipes that burst in the winter. That's when they called on a major company that is known for their specialty; they come in and clean those grossly soaked carpets, they restore that damaged furniture and those smoke-saturated drapes. They are known for being the ones who can clean up a mess that folks could never clean themselves. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Amazing Cleanup."
When you have too much to clean up, it is great to know that there's someone you can call to remove and restore what you never could. Well, for twenty centuries now, men and women have been calling on Jesus Christ for that very reason, and they have found, sometimes much to their surprise, that He is actually drawn to people who know how much they need Him.
Maybe as you look back over the last few months or past years, you see messes you've made that seem so impossible to clean up. There are people we've hurt, things we've done we never thought we'd do, shameful memories, things that have us hooked, things we've hidden and we hope no one ever finds out about them - so many mistakes, so many sins, regrets, messes. Like a homeowner feeling helpless in the midst of a disaster-ravaged house, we stand overwhelmed sometimes with the guilt, the shame, and the dirty, unworthy feeling inside.
We are in desperate need of someone who can clean up the messes of a lifetime, and that is what Jesus specializes in. It is, in fact, the reason He went to a cross and allowed men He had created to crucify the Son of God. He went there to pay for every sin any of us has ever committed, from the lies to the immorality, to the abuse, to the selfishness, and even the most heinous of human sins. He didn't miss any sin when He took on Himself all the guilt, all the shame, and all the hell for every act of rebellion against God.
No matter how guilty, no matter how dirty, or how unforgivable you feel, Jesus stands ready to wash it all away. In Hebrews 10:10, our word for today from the Word of God, we're told, "We have been made holy (that means totally clean before God!) through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." That's one death for all sins!
Jesus is drawn to those who know they're sinners. His enemies called Him the "friend of sinners." Jesus only resists those who are too proud, too religious to see how much they need what He did on the cross for them.
For you, this could be the day that Jesus moves into every sin-mess of your life with His total forgiving and His power to restore what no man can restore. You woke up this morning dirty inside. You can go to sleep tonight totally clean for the first time in your life. But you have to reach out to the Great Forgiver with total trust that He will be your personal Savior from your personal sin. The promise of God from the Bible is that "everyone who believes in (Jesus) receives forgiveness of sins through His name" (Acts 10:43). That could be you, and that could be today.
If you've never told Jesus that you're putting all your faith in Him to do what He died to do - to forgive you and change you - you can tell Him that right now, right where you are. And if that's what you want and you're ready to begin that relationship and experience the shower of His forgiveness, then let me encourage you to check out our website sometime before the day is over. It's YoursForLife.net. Right there I'll try to walk you through exactly how to be sure you're forgiven and you have established forever your relationship with Jesus. Or I'd be glad to send you my booklet Yours For Life if you just call us for it toll free. It's 877-741-1200.
This can actually be your new beginning.
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 16
God’s Name
The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
Psalm 23:1 (NCV)
“You want to know who God really is?” David asks. “Then read this.” And he writes the name Yahweh. “Yahweh is my shepherd.”
Though foreign to us, the name was rich to David. So rich, in fact, that David chose Yahweh over El Shaddai (God Almighty), El Elyon (God Most High), and El Olam (God the Everlasting). These and many other titles for God were at David’s disposal. But when he considered all the options, David chose Yahweh.
Why Yahweh? Because Yahweh is God’s name. You can call me a preacher or writer or half-baked golfer—these are accurate descriptions, but these aren’t my names. I might call you dad, mom, doctor, or student, and those terms may describe you, but they aren’t your name. If you want to call me by my name, say Max. If I call you by your name, I say it. And if you want to call God by his name, say Yahweh.
Matthew 6
Giving to Needy People
1 "Be careful not to do 'good works' in front of others. Don't do them to be seen by others. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you.
2 "When you give to needy people, do not announce it by having trumpets blown. Do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They announce what they do in the synagogues and on the streets. They want to be honored by others. What I'm about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward.
3 "When you give to the needy, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Then your giving will be done secretly. Your Father will reward you. He sees what you do secretly.
Prayer
5 "When you pray, do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They want to be seen by others. What I'm about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward.
6 "When you pray, go into your room. Close the door and pray to your Father, who can't be seen. He will reward you. Your Father sees what is done secretly.
7 "When you pray, do not keep talking on and on the way ungodly people do. They think they will be heard because they talk a lot. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask him.
9 "This is how you should pray.
" 'Our Father in heaven,
may your name be honored.
10 May your kingdom come.
May what you want to happen be done
on earth as it is done in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our sins,
just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted.
Save us from the evil one.'
14 "Forgive people when they sin against you. If you do, your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive people their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Fasting
16 "When you go without eating, do not look gloomy like those who only pretend to be holy. They make their faces very sad. They want to show people they are fasting. What I'm about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward.
17 "But when you go without eating, put olive oil on your head. Wash your face. 18 Then others will not know that you are fasting. Only your Father, who can't be seen, will know it. He will reward you. Your Father sees what is done secretly.
Put Away Riches in Heaven
19 "Do not put away riches for yourselves on earth. Moths and rust can destroy them. Thieves can break in and steal them. 20 Instead, put away riches for yourselves in heaven. There, moths and rust do not destroy them. There, thieves do not break in and steal them. 21 Your heart will be where your riches are.
22 "The eye is like a lamp for the body. Suppose your eyes are good. Then your whole body will be full of light. 23 But suppose your eyes are bad. Then your whole body will be full of darkness. If the light inside you is darkness, then it is very dark!
24 "No one can serve two masters at the same time. He will hate one of them and love the other. Or he will be faithful to one and dislike the other. You can't serve God and Money at the same time.
Do Not Worry
25 "I tell you, do not worry. Don't worry about your life and what you will eat or drink. And don't worry about your body and what you will wear. Isn't there more to life than eating? Aren't there more important things for the body than clothes?
26 "Look at the birds of the air. They don't plant or gather crops. They don't put away crops in storerooms. But your Father who is in heaven feeds them. Aren't you worth much more than they are?
27 "Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the wild flowers grow. They don't work or make clothing. 29 But here is what I tell you. Not even Solomon in all of his glory was dressed like one of those flowers.
30 "If that is how God dresses the wild grass, won't he dress you even better? After all, the grass is here only today. Tomorrow it is thrown into the fire. Your faith is so small!
31 "So don't worry. Don't say, 'What will we eat?' Or, 'What will we drink?' Or, 'What will we wear?' 32 People who are ungodly run after all of those things. Your Father who is in heaven knows that you need them.
33 "But put God's kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all of those things will also be given to you.
34 "So don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Acts 2:40-47 (New International Reader's Version)
40 Peter said many other things to warn them. He begged them, "Save yourselves from these evil people." 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized. About 3,000 people joined the believers that day.
The Believers Share Life Together
42 The believers studied what the apostles taught. They shared life together. They broke bread and ate together. And they prayed. 43 Everyone felt that God was near. The apostles did many wonders and miraculous signs. 44 All the believers were together. They shared everything they had. 45 They sold what they owned. They gave each other everything they needed. 46 Every day they met together in the temple courtyard. In their homes they broke bread and ate together. Their hearts were glad and honest and true. 47 They praised God. They were respected by all the people. Every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
June 16, 2009
My Two Cents
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Acts 2:40-47
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so. —Proverbs 3:27
Recently, our family had to change Internet cable services. Our former provider promised to send us a postage-paid box to mail their equipment back to them. We waited. No box came. I phoned. The promised box still did not arrive, but we did get a bill for the equipment!
Wanting to get this resolved, I decided to return it at my own expense. I sent several faxes asking if they received it—but no reply. Then I got a refund check of $.02 for the returned equipment! An experience like that can be frustrating. A simple transaction was complicated by poor communication.
Sadly, some people in our churches may encounter an impersonal response to their needs. Whether seeking marital counseling, childcare, guidance for a troubled teen, or a loving community, they come away feeling uncared for.
The first-century church was not perfect, but it faithfully helped others. The church at Jerusalem “divided [their goods] among all, as anyone had need” (Acts 2:45).
Good communication is the starting point for learning others’ needs. This enables us to provide personal and practical help to people when they need it. Resources, both material and spiritual, can then be directed to each person as the object of God’s personal love. — Dennis Fisher
All who serve within the church
Should show by word and deed
A sensitivity to those
Who have a special need. —D. De Haan
God cares for you—care for others.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 16, 2009
"Will You Lay Down Your Life?"
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. . . . I have called you friends . . . —John 15:13, 15
Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said to the Lord, "I will lay down my life for Your sake," and he meant it ( John 13:37 ). He had a magnificent sense of the heroic. For us to be incapable of making this same statement Peter made would be a bad thing— our sense of duty is only fully realized through our sense of heroism. Has the Lord ever asked you, "Will you lay down your life for My sake?" ( John 13:38 ). It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. We are not made for the bright-shining moments of life, but we have to walk in the light of them in our everyday ways. There was only one bright-shining moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration. It was there that He emptied Himself of His glory for the second time, and then came down into the demon-possessed valley (seeMark 9:1-29 ). For thirty-three years Jesus laid down His life to do the will of His Father. "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" ( 1 John 3:16 ). Yet it is contrary to our human nature to do so.
If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is. Salvation is easy for us, because it cost God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult. God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, "Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful." And Jesus says to us, ". . . I have called you friends. . . ." Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Amazing Cleanup - #5852
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
My sister-in-law used to be involved with insurance claims. And it was not uncommon for her to have clients who had major messes to clean up. Imagine the damage that flood waters could do to a home, a major fire, or even frozen pipes that burst in the winter. That's when they called on a major company that is known for their specialty; they come in and clean those grossly soaked carpets, they restore that damaged furniture and those smoke-saturated drapes. They are known for being the ones who can clean up a mess that folks could never clean themselves. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Amazing Cleanup."
When you have too much to clean up, it is great to know that there's someone you can call to remove and restore what you never could. Well, for twenty centuries now, men and women have been calling on Jesus Christ for that very reason, and they have found, sometimes much to their surprise, that He is actually drawn to people who know how much they need Him.
Maybe as you look back over the last few months or past years, you see messes you've made that seem so impossible to clean up. There are people we've hurt, things we've done we never thought we'd do, shameful memories, things that have us hooked, things we've hidden and we hope no one ever finds out about them - so many mistakes, so many sins, regrets, messes. Like a homeowner feeling helpless in the midst of a disaster-ravaged house, we stand overwhelmed sometimes with the guilt, the shame, and the dirty, unworthy feeling inside.
We are in desperate need of someone who can clean up the messes of a lifetime, and that is what Jesus specializes in. It is, in fact, the reason He went to a cross and allowed men He had created to crucify the Son of God. He went there to pay for every sin any of us has ever committed, from the lies to the immorality, to the abuse, to the selfishness, and even the most heinous of human sins. He didn't miss any sin when He took on Himself all the guilt, all the shame, and all the hell for every act of rebellion against God.
No matter how guilty, no matter how dirty, or how unforgivable you feel, Jesus stands ready to wash it all away. In Hebrews 10:10, our word for today from the Word of God, we're told, "We have been made holy (that means totally clean before God!) through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." That's one death for all sins!
Jesus is drawn to those who know they're sinners. His enemies called Him the "friend of sinners." Jesus only resists those who are too proud, too religious to see how much they need what He did on the cross for them.
For you, this could be the day that Jesus moves into every sin-mess of your life with His total forgiving and His power to restore what no man can restore. You woke up this morning dirty inside. You can go to sleep tonight totally clean for the first time in your life. But you have to reach out to the Great Forgiver with total trust that He will be your personal Savior from your personal sin. The promise of God from the Bible is that "everyone who believes in (Jesus) receives forgiveness of sins through His name" (Acts 10:43). That could be you, and that could be today.
If you've never told Jesus that you're putting all your faith in Him to do what He died to do - to forgive you and change you - you can tell Him that right now, right where you are. And if that's what you want and you're ready to begin that relationship and experience the shower of His forgiveness, then let me encourage you to check out our website sometime before the day is over. It's YoursForLife.net. Right there I'll try to walk you through exactly how to be sure you're forgiven and you have established forever your relationship with Jesus. Or I'd be glad to send you my booklet Yours For Life if you just call us for it toll free. It's 877-741-1200.
This can actually be your new beginning.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Matthew 5, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 15
Who Is the Servant?
The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.
Luke 19:10 (NCV)
Martha is worried about something good. She's having Jesus over for dinner. She's literally serving God. Her aim was to please Jesus. But she made a common, yet dangerous mistake. As she began to work for him, her work became more important than her Lord. What began as a way to serve Jesus, slowly and subtly became a way to serve self....She has forgotten that the meal is to honor Jesus, not Martha....
It's easy to forget who is the servant and who is to be served.
Matthew 5
The Beatitudes
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
The Fulfillment of the Law
17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder
21"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother[b]will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,[c]' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.[d]
Adultery
27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'[e] 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce
31"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'[f] 32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
Oaths
33"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
An Eye for an Eye
38"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'[g] 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[h] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies[i] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Colossians 3:14-25 (New International Version)
14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Rules for Christian Households
18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
June 15, 2009
Ongoing Encouragement
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Colossians 3:14-25
Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. —Colossians 3:21
Father’s Day is celebrated in many countries worldwide. Although the origins, activities, and actual day of observance differ widely, they all share the common thread of honoring fathers for their role as parents.
This year for Father’s Day, I’ve decided to do something different. Instead of waiting to receive a card or phone call from my children, I’m sending words of appreciation to them and to my wife. After all, without them, I wouldn’t be a dad.
Paul instructed fathers to be a positive part of their children’s development rather than a source of anger and discouragement. He wrote, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (Col. 3:21). Both of these verses are embedded in passages about loving and honoring each other in family relationships.
The role of a father changes as children grow, but it doesn’t end. Praise and encouragement are welcomed whether a child is 4 or 40. Prayer is always powerful. And it’s never too soon to mend a broken relationship with a son or daughter.
Fathers, now is a good time to tell your children how much you love and appreciate them. — David C. McCasland
Our children need encouragement,
Expressions of our love and care;
Appreciation, when expressed,
Accentuates the bond we share. —Sper
The greatest gift a father can give to his children is himself.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 15, 2009
Get Moving! (2)
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
Also . . . add to your faith . . . —2 Peter 1:5
In the matter of drudgery. Peter said in this passage that we have become "partakers of the divine nature" and that we should now be "giving all diligence," concentrating on forming godly habits (2 Peter 1:4-5 ). We are to "add" to our lives all that character means. No one is born either naturally or supernaturally with character; it must be developed. Nor are we born with habits— we have to form godly habits on the basis of the new life God has placed within us. We are not meant to be seen as God’s perfect, bright-shining examples, but to be seen as the everyday essence of ordinary life exhibiting the miracle of His grace. Drudgery is the test of genuine character. The greatest hindrance in our spiritual life is that we will only look for big things to do. Yet, "Jesus . . . took a towel and . . . began to wash the disciples’ feet . . ." ( John 13:3-5 ).
We all have those times when there are no flashes of light and no apparent thrill to life, where we experience nothing but the daily routine with its common everyday tasks. The routine of life is actually God’s way of saving us between our times of great inspiration which come from Him. Don’t always expect God to give you His thrilling moments, but learn to live in those common times of the drudgery of life by the power of God.
It is difficult for us to do the "adding" that Peter mentioned here. We say we do not expect God to take us to heaven on flowery beds of ease, and yet we act as if we do! I must realize that my obedience even in the smallest detail of life has all of the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it. If I will do my duty, not for duty’s sake but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience all of the magnificent grace of God is mine through the glorious atonement by the Cross of Christ.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
It's Blurry Without Your Glasses - #5851
Monday, June 15, 2009
It's becoming a pretty frequent refrain around our house. I'll be trying to read a label or some instructions or something my wife has given me to look at, and it becomes obvious that I'm having a hard time deciphering what's in front of me. The first clue is that my arm is extended as far it can go with that item in my hand. My wife knows I'm not seeing words clearly; I'm seeing a blur or I'm seeing letters or words that aren't really there. Thus, the refrain "Put your glasses on!" Oh yeah. I do that, and what looked so blurry suddenly looks pretty clear.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "It's Blurry Without Your Glasses."
Something exciting happens when you begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ - you get a new pair of glasses. It's the ability, actually, to look at your world, look at our culture, look at your choices and see God's perspective. Our vision of what really matters, or what's valuable, or what's right is pretty blurred and fuzzy and often it's expensively wrong. But when you start evaluating and living according to what God says in His Book, the Bible, you can see what's really going on.
The problem is, though, that we tend to be defined much more by our culture than we are by our Christ. Oh yeah, we have Jesus in our heart, but we've got a lot of earth-junk in the way we think. It's not a new problem. When God's ancient people were entering a culture with values that were the opposite of God's, He gave them a very important warning. It's one we need every bit as much today, and it's our word for today from the Word of God. In Leviticus 18, beginning in verse 2, God says, "I am the Lord your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do was they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must obey My laws and be careful to follow My decrees." In other words, don't take your cue from your culture - take your cue from your Creator!
One of the reasons we're so spiritually lame and powerless is that we mix our faith with a lot of garbage from Egypt and Canaan. So we end up seeing our faith more through our culture than seeing our culture through our faith. And there are lots of cultures people are or have been a part of, each with its own values, its own lies and its own distortions about life. Which culture or cultures have helped shape your attitudes and actions: the business culture, where people are commodities and profit is decisive? Or maybe the academic culture, where you must believe certain premises in order to be considered academically respectable? The youth culture, the entertainment culture, the pop culture where trivial things get hyped, superficial is important, and where irreverence and disrespect are the style?
I remember what former Attorney General John Ashcroft's godly father told him when he was going to Washington to become a United States Senator. "John, the culture of Washington is a culture of arrogance; the culture of Jesus is a culture of humility. Don't ever let Washington's arrogance replace Jesus' humility." Wow! In a sense, Jesus calls us to live counter-culturally, judging everything by His standards, seeing everything through His glasses.
Follow the culture and you'll be cynical, sarcastic, irreverent...you may be arrogant, negative, casual about sex, or driven by the bottom line. But when you trade in your blurred vision for what Jesus sees, you'll realize that a lot that looks cool isn't cool. A lot that is supposed to be funny isn't really funny. That some of what's considered an "educated viewpoint" isn't wise at all. A lot that most people consider acceptable has no place in a life that Jesus bought with His blood.
So, "Put your glasses on!" That's what God may be trying to say to you. Would you let God show you what things look like through His glasses? You'll see things as they really are, and that will change your life.
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 15
Who Is the Servant?
The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.
Luke 19:10 (NCV)
Martha is worried about something good. She's having Jesus over for dinner. She's literally serving God. Her aim was to please Jesus. But she made a common, yet dangerous mistake. As she began to work for him, her work became more important than her Lord. What began as a way to serve Jesus, slowly and subtly became a way to serve self....She has forgotten that the meal is to honor Jesus, not Martha....
It's easy to forget who is the servant and who is to be served.
Matthew 5
The Beatitudes
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
The Fulfillment of the Law
17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder
21"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother[b]will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,[c]' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.[d]
Adultery
27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'[e] 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce
31"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'[f] 32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
Oaths
33"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
An Eye for an Eye
38"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'[g] 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[h] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies[i] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Colossians 3:14-25 (New International Version)
14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Rules for Christian Households
18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
June 15, 2009
Ongoing Encouragement
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Colossians 3:14-25
Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. —Colossians 3:21
Father’s Day is celebrated in many countries worldwide. Although the origins, activities, and actual day of observance differ widely, they all share the common thread of honoring fathers for their role as parents.
This year for Father’s Day, I’ve decided to do something different. Instead of waiting to receive a card or phone call from my children, I’m sending words of appreciation to them and to my wife. After all, without them, I wouldn’t be a dad.
Paul instructed fathers to be a positive part of their children’s development rather than a source of anger and discouragement. He wrote, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (Col. 3:21). Both of these verses are embedded in passages about loving and honoring each other in family relationships.
The role of a father changes as children grow, but it doesn’t end. Praise and encouragement are welcomed whether a child is 4 or 40. Prayer is always powerful. And it’s never too soon to mend a broken relationship with a son or daughter.
Fathers, now is a good time to tell your children how much you love and appreciate them. — David C. McCasland
Our children need encouragement,
Expressions of our love and care;
Appreciation, when expressed,
Accentuates the bond we share. —Sper
The greatest gift a father can give to his children is himself.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 15, 2009
Get Moving! (2)
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
Also . . . add to your faith . . . —2 Peter 1:5
In the matter of drudgery. Peter said in this passage that we have become "partakers of the divine nature" and that we should now be "giving all diligence," concentrating on forming godly habits (2 Peter 1:4-5 ). We are to "add" to our lives all that character means. No one is born either naturally or supernaturally with character; it must be developed. Nor are we born with habits— we have to form godly habits on the basis of the new life God has placed within us. We are not meant to be seen as God’s perfect, bright-shining examples, but to be seen as the everyday essence of ordinary life exhibiting the miracle of His grace. Drudgery is the test of genuine character. The greatest hindrance in our spiritual life is that we will only look for big things to do. Yet, "Jesus . . . took a towel and . . . began to wash the disciples’ feet . . ." ( John 13:3-5 ).
We all have those times when there are no flashes of light and no apparent thrill to life, where we experience nothing but the daily routine with its common everyday tasks. The routine of life is actually God’s way of saving us between our times of great inspiration which come from Him. Don’t always expect God to give you His thrilling moments, but learn to live in those common times of the drudgery of life by the power of God.
It is difficult for us to do the "adding" that Peter mentioned here. We say we do not expect God to take us to heaven on flowery beds of ease, and yet we act as if we do! I must realize that my obedience even in the smallest detail of life has all of the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it. If I will do my duty, not for duty’s sake but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience all of the magnificent grace of God is mine through the glorious atonement by the Cross of Christ.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
It's Blurry Without Your Glasses - #5851
Monday, June 15, 2009
It's becoming a pretty frequent refrain around our house. I'll be trying to read a label or some instructions or something my wife has given me to look at, and it becomes obvious that I'm having a hard time deciphering what's in front of me. The first clue is that my arm is extended as far it can go with that item in my hand. My wife knows I'm not seeing words clearly; I'm seeing a blur or I'm seeing letters or words that aren't really there. Thus, the refrain "Put your glasses on!" Oh yeah. I do that, and what looked so blurry suddenly looks pretty clear.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "It's Blurry Without Your Glasses."
Something exciting happens when you begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ - you get a new pair of glasses. It's the ability, actually, to look at your world, look at our culture, look at your choices and see God's perspective. Our vision of what really matters, or what's valuable, or what's right is pretty blurred and fuzzy and often it's expensively wrong. But when you start evaluating and living according to what God says in His Book, the Bible, you can see what's really going on.
The problem is, though, that we tend to be defined much more by our culture than we are by our Christ. Oh yeah, we have Jesus in our heart, but we've got a lot of earth-junk in the way we think. It's not a new problem. When God's ancient people were entering a culture with values that were the opposite of God's, He gave them a very important warning. It's one we need every bit as much today, and it's our word for today from the Word of God. In Leviticus 18, beginning in verse 2, God says, "I am the Lord your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do was they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must obey My laws and be careful to follow My decrees." In other words, don't take your cue from your culture - take your cue from your Creator!
One of the reasons we're so spiritually lame and powerless is that we mix our faith with a lot of garbage from Egypt and Canaan. So we end up seeing our faith more through our culture than seeing our culture through our faith. And there are lots of cultures people are or have been a part of, each with its own values, its own lies and its own distortions about life. Which culture or cultures have helped shape your attitudes and actions: the business culture, where people are commodities and profit is decisive? Or maybe the academic culture, where you must believe certain premises in order to be considered academically respectable? The youth culture, the entertainment culture, the pop culture where trivial things get hyped, superficial is important, and where irreverence and disrespect are the style?
I remember what former Attorney General John Ashcroft's godly father told him when he was going to Washington to become a United States Senator. "John, the culture of Washington is a culture of arrogance; the culture of Jesus is a culture of humility. Don't ever let Washington's arrogance replace Jesus' humility." Wow! In a sense, Jesus calls us to live counter-culturally, judging everything by His standards, seeing everything through His glasses.
Follow the culture and you'll be cynical, sarcastic, irreverent...you may be arrogant, negative, casual about sex, or driven by the bottom line. But when you trade in your blurred vision for what Jesus sees, you'll realize that a lot that looks cool isn't cool. A lot that is supposed to be funny isn't really funny. That some of what's considered an "educated viewpoint" isn't wise at all. A lot that most people consider acceptable has no place in a life that Jesus bought with His blood.
So, "Put your glasses on!" That's what God may be trying to say to you. Would you let God show you what things look like through His glasses? You'll see things as they really are, and that will change your life.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Mark 4, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 14
I expect and hope...to show the greatness of Christ in my life here on earth, whether I live or die.
Philippians 1:20 (NCV)
It would have been nice if God had let us order life like we order a meal. I'll take good health and a high IQ. I'll pass on the music skills, but give me a fast metabolism....
Would've been nice. But it didn't happen. When it came to your life on earth, you weren't given a voice or a vote.
But when it comes to life after death, you were. In my book that seems like a good deal. Wouldn't you agree?
Mark 4
The Parable of the Sower
1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. 2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."
9Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12so that,
" 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'[d]"
13Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."
A Lamp on a Stand
21He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? 22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
24"Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade."
33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Jesus Calms the Storm
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Psalm 119:89-105 (New International Version)
l Lamedh
89 Your word, O LORD, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
91 Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
92 If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.
94 Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts.
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes.
96 To all perfection I see a limit;
but your commands are boundless.
m Mem
97 Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.
102 I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
n Nun
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.
June 14, 2009
Meditate On These Things
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Psalm 119:89-105
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. —Psalm 145:5
Some Christians get a little skeptical when you start talking about meditation—not seeing the huge distinction between biblical meditation and some types of mystical meditation. In mystical meditation, according to one explanation, “the rational mind is shifted into neutral . . . so that the psyche can take over.” The focus is inward, and the aim is to “become one with God.”
In contrast, biblical meditation focuses on the things of the Lord, and its purpose is to renew our minds (Rom. 12:2) so that we think and act more like Christ. Its objective is to reflect on what God has said and done (Ps. 77:12; 119:15-16,97) and on what He is like (48:9-14).
In Psalm 19:14, David wrote, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord.” Other psalms reflect on God’s love (48:9), His deeds (77:12), His law (119:97), and His testimonies (119:99).
Fill your mind with Scripture and focus on the Lord’s commands and promises and goodness. And remember this: Whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, “if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Phil. 4:8). — Cindy Hess Kasper
Of all God’s creatures, only man
Can worship, meditate, and plan;
The gift of thought sets him apart
To love the Lord with all his heart. —D. De Haan
To become more like Christ, meditate on who He is.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 14, 2009
Get Moving! (1)
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
Abide in Me . . . —John 15:4
In the matter of determination. The Spirit of Jesus is put into me by way of the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I then have to build my thinking patiently to bring it into perfect harmony with my Lord. God will not make me think like Jesus— I have to do it myself. I have to bring "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5 ). "Abide in Me"— in intellectual matters, in money matters, in every one of the matters that make human life what it is. Our lives are not made up of only one neatly confined area.
Am I preventing God from doing things in my circumstances by saying that it will only serve to hinder my fellowship with Him? How irrelevant and disrespectful that is! It does not matter what my circumstances are. I can be as much assured of abiding in Jesus in any one of them as I am in any prayer meeting. It is unnecessary to change and arrange my circumstances myself. Our Lord’s inner abiding was pure and unblemished. He was at home with God wherever His body was. He never chose His own circumstances, but was meek, submitting to His Father’s plans and directions for Him. Just think of how amazingly relaxed our Lord’s life was! But we tend to keep God at a fever pitch in our lives. We have none of the serenity of the life which is "hidden with Christ in God" ( Colossians 3:3 ).
Think of the things that take you out of the position of abiding in Christ. You say, "Yes, Lord, just a minute— I still have this to do. Yes, I will abide as soon as this is finished, or as soon as this week is over. It will be all right, Lord. I will abide then." Get moving— begin to abide now. In the initial stages it will be a continual effort to abide, but as you continue, it will become so much a part of your life that you will abide in Him without any conscious effort. Make the determination to abide in Jesus wherever you are now or wherever you may be placed in the future.
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 14
I expect and hope...to show the greatness of Christ in my life here on earth, whether I live or die.
Philippians 1:20 (NCV)
It would have been nice if God had let us order life like we order a meal. I'll take good health and a high IQ. I'll pass on the music skills, but give me a fast metabolism....
Would've been nice. But it didn't happen. When it came to your life on earth, you weren't given a voice or a vote.
But when it comes to life after death, you were. In my book that seems like a good deal. Wouldn't you agree?
Mark 4
The Parable of the Sower
1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. 2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."
9Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12so that,
" 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'[d]"
13Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."
A Lamp on a Stand
21He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? 22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
24"Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade."
33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Jesus Calms the Storm
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Psalm 119:89-105 (New International Version)
l Lamedh
89 Your word, O LORD, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
91 Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
92 If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.
94 Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts.
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes.
96 To all perfection I see a limit;
but your commands are boundless.
m Mem
97 Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.
102 I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
n Nun
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.
June 14, 2009
Meditate On These Things
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Psalm 119:89-105
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. —Psalm 145:5
Some Christians get a little skeptical when you start talking about meditation—not seeing the huge distinction between biblical meditation and some types of mystical meditation. In mystical meditation, according to one explanation, “the rational mind is shifted into neutral . . . so that the psyche can take over.” The focus is inward, and the aim is to “become one with God.”
In contrast, biblical meditation focuses on the things of the Lord, and its purpose is to renew our minds (Rom. 12:2) so that we think and act more like Christ. Its objective is to reflect on what God has said and done (Ps. 77:12; 119:15-16,97) and on what He is like (48:9-14).
In Psalm 19:14, David wrote, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord.” Other psalms reflect on God’s love (48:9), His deeds (77:12), His law (119:97), and His testimonies (119:99).
Fill your mind with Scripture and focus on the Lord’s commands and promises and goodness. And remember this: Whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, “if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Phil. 4:8). — Cindy Hess Kasper
Of all God’s creatures, only man
Can worship, meditate, and plan;
The gift of thought sets him apart
To love the Lord with all his heart. —D. De Haan
To become more like Christ, meditate on who He is.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 14, 2009
Get Moving! (1)
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
Abide in Me . . . —John 15:4
In the matter of determination. The Spirit of Jesus is put into me by way of the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I then have to build my thinking patiently to bring it into perfect harmony with my Lord. God will not make me think like Jesus— I have to do it myself. I have to bring "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5 ). "Abide in Me"— in intellectual matters, in money matters, in every one of the matters that make human life what it is. Our lives are not made up of only one neatly confined area.
Am I preventing God from doing things in my circumstances by saying that it will only serve to hinder my fellowship with Him? How irrelevant and disrespectful that is! It does not matter what my circumstances are. I can be as much assured of abiding in Jesus in any one of them as I am in any prayer meeting. It is unnecessary to change and arrange my circumstances myself. Our Lord’s inner abiding was pure and unblemished. He was at home with God wherever His body was. He never chose His own circumstances, but was meek, submitting to His Father’s plans and directions for Him. Just think of how amazingly relaxed our Lord’s life was! But we tend to keep God at a fever pitch in our lives. We have none of the serenity of the life which is "hidden with Christ in God" ( Colossians 3:3 ).
Think of the things that take you out of the position of abiding in Christ. You say, "Yes, Lord, just a minute— I still have this to do. Yes, I will abide as soon as this is finished, or as soon as this week is over. It will be all right, Lord. I will abide then." Get moving— begin to abide now. In the initial stages it will be a continual effort to abide, but as you continue, it will become so much a part of your life that you will abide in Him without any conscious effort. Make the determination to abide in Jesus wherever you are now or wherever you may be placed in the future.
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