Sunday, July 15, 2012
Acts 15 bible reading and devotionals.
Click to hear a message from the Lord Jesus
Max Lucado Daily: Immersed in Grace
“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad.” Psalm 126:3 NKJV
You have not been sprinkled with forgiveness. You have not been spattered with grace. You have not been dusted with kindness. You have been immersed in it. You are submerged in mercy. You are a minnow in the ocean of God’s mercy. Let it change you!
Acts 15:22-41
New International Version (NIV)
The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers
22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.
30 So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. [34] [a] 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Acts 18:1-4
In Corinth
18 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
Opening Our Homes
July 15, 2012 — by Marvin Williams
In Outlive Your Life, Max Lucado writes: “Hospitality opens the door to uncommon community. It’s no accident that hospitality and hospital come from the same Latin word, for they both lead to the same result: healing. When you open your door to someone, you are sending this message: ‘You matter to me and to God.’ You may think you are saying, ‘Come over for a visit.’ But what your guest hears is, ‘I’m worth the effort.’”
This is what the apostle Paul must have heard and felt when Aquila and Priscilla opened the doors of their home to him. When he arrived in Corinth, he was probably exhausted from his journey from Athens. He may also have been discouraged because of his seemingly unsuccessful ministry there (Acts 17:16-34). He later wrote, “I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Cor. 2:3). Aquila and Priscilla probably met Paul in the marketplace of Corinth and opened their home to him. They provided a spiritual oasis through Christian hospitality.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to be hospitable, to be a “hospital” that helps those who are going through life’s storms and need restoration. We can be used by the Lord because He has provided for us.
Heavenly Father, make me open to be willing to serve
others through showing hospitality.
May I provide a safe haven for those going through
the storms of life. Amen.
Christian hospitality is an open heart and an open home.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
July 15, 2012
My Life’s Spiritual Honor and Duty
I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians . . . —Romans 1:14
Paul was overwhelmed with the sense of his indebtedness to Jesus Christ, and he spent his life to express it. The greatest inspiration in Paul’s life was his view of Jesus Christ as his spiritual creditor. Do I feel that same sense of indebtedness to Christ regarding every unsaved soul? As a saint, my life’s spiritual honor and duty is to fulfill my debt to Christ in relation to these lost souls. Every tiny bit of my life that has value I owe to the redemption of Jesus Christ. Am I doing anything to enable Him to bring His redemption into evident reality in the lives of others? I will only be able to do this as the Spirit of God works into me this sense of indebtedness.
I am not a superior person among other people— I am a bondservant of the Lord Jesus. Paul said, “. . . you are not your own . . . you were bought at a price . . .” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Paul sold himself to Jesus Christ and he said, in effect, “I am a debtor to everyone on the face of the earth because of the gospel of Jesus; I am free only that I may be an absolute bondservant of His.” That is the characteristic of a Christian’s life once this level of spiritual honor and duty becomes real. Quit praying about yourself and spend your life for the sake of others as the bondservant of Jesus. That is the true meaning of being broken bread and poured-out wine in real life.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Amos 3 Bible reading and devotionals.
(Talk with God lately if not click to listen to God’s teaching)
Max Lucado Daily: No Room for Almost
“We don’t live following our sinful selves, but we live following the Spirit.” Romans 8:4
ALMOST. How many times do these six letters find their way into despairing epitaphs?
“She almost chose not to leave him.” “He almost became a Christian.”
Jesus . . . demands absolute obedience. He never has room for “almost” in his vocabulary. You are either with him or against him . . . With the Master, “almost” is just as good as “never.”
Amos 3
Witnesses Summoned Against Israel
3 Hear this word, people of Israel, the word the Lord has spoken against you —against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt:
2 “You only have I chosen
of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish you
for all your sins. ”
3 Do two walk together
unless they have agreed to do so?
4 Does a lion roar in the thicket
when it has no prey?
Does it growl in its den
when it has caught nothing?
5 Does a bird swoop down to a trap on the ground
when no bait is there?
Does a trap spring up from the ground
if it has not caught anything?
6 When a trumpet sounds in a city,
do not the people tremble?
When disaster comes to a city,
has not the Lord caused it?
7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing
without revealing his plan
to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared —
who will not fear?
The Sovereign Lord has spoken—
who can but prophesy?
9 Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod
and to the fortresses of Egypt:
“Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria;
see the great unrest within her
and the oppression among her people.”
10 “They do not know how to do right, ” declares the Lord,
“who store up in their fortresses
what they have plundered and looted.”
11 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“An enemy will overrun your land,
pull down your strongholds
and plunder your fortresses. ”
12 This is what the Lord says:
“As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s mouth
only two leg bones or a piece of an ear,
so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued,
with only the head of a bed
and a piece of fabric[i] from a couch.[j] ”
13 “Hear this and testify against the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the Lord God Almighty.
14 “On the day I punish Israel for her sins,
I will destroy the altars of Bethel;
the horns of the altar will be cut off
and fall to the ground.
15 I will tear down the winter house
along with the summer house;
the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed
and the mansions will be demolished, ”
declares the Lord.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Deuteronomy 8:1-10
Do Not Forget the Lord
8 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.
6 Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land —a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
Two Lessons Learned
July 14, 2012 — by David C. McCasland
The Lord your God led you all the way these forty years . . . to humble you and test you. —Deuteronomy 8:2
Afew weeks after writing an Our Daily Bread article about the importance of obeying the law, I set out on an 850-mile trip—determined to stay within the posted speed limit. While driving out of a small town in New Mexico, I became more occupied with unwrapping a sandwich than with watching the road signs, and I got a speeding ticket. My first lesson that day was that not paying attention costs the same as deliberate disregard for the law. And I still had 700 miles to go!
My second lesson was that our resolve will always be tested. I thought of Moses’ words to God’s people as they prepared to enter the Promised Land: “You shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not” (Deut. 8:2).
Pastor and author Eugene Peterson called the process of following Christ “a long obedience in the same direction.” Every resolution to begin to obey must be followed by many decisions to continue.
God gave me a humbling reminder of how vital it is to keep my heart set on obeying Him—and to pay attention along the way.
Thou who hast freely given
Thine all in all for me,
Claim this life for Thine own to be used,
My Savior, every moment for Thee. —Christiansen
To love God is to obey God.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
July 14, 2012
Suffering Afflictions and Going the Second Mile
I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also —Matthew 5:39
This verse reveals the humiliation of being a Christian. In the natural realm, if a person does not hit back, it is because he is a coward. But in the spiritual realm, it is the very evidence of the Son of God in him if he does not hit back. When you are insulted, you must not only not resent it, but you must make it an opportunity to exhibit the Son of God in your life. And you cannot imitate the nature of Jesus— it is either in you or it is not. A personal insult becomes an opportunity for a saint to reveal the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus.
The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not, “Do your duty,” but is, in effect, “Do what is not your duty.” It is not your duty to go the second mile, or to turn the other cheek, but Jesus said that if we are His disciples, we will always do these things. We will not say, “Oh well, I just can’t do any more, and I’ve been so misrepresented and misunderstood.” Every time I insist on having my own rights, I hurt the Son of God, while in fact I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I will take the blow myself. That is the real meaning of filling “up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . .” (Colossians 1:24). A disciple realizes that it is his Lord’s honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor.
Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never cease to be righteous yourself. We are always looking for justice, yet the essence of the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is— Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Amos 2 bible reading and devotionals.
(Talk with God lately if not click to listen to God’s teaching)
MaxLucado.com: Important But Not Essential
Do you want to snatch a day from the grip of boredom? Do overly generous deeds, acts beyond reimbursement. Kindness without compensation. Here’s another idea…Get over yourself!
Sound too harsh?
Well, Moses did. Numbers 12:3 says, he was a “very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.”
Mary did. When Jesus called her womb His home, she did not boast; she simple confessed: “I am the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.”
Most of all–Jesus did. Jesus chose the servants’ quarters. Can’t we?
We’re important but not essential, valuable but not indispensable. We have a song to sing, but we’re not the featured act. God is!
He did well before our births; he’ll do fine after our deaths. He started it all, sustains it all, and will bring it all to a glorious climax!
From Great Day Every Day
Amos 2 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Moab,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he burned to ashes
the bones of Edom’s king,
2 I will send fire on Moab
that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth.[f]
Moab will go down in great tumult
amid war cries and the blast of the trumpet.
3 I will destroy her ruler
and kill all her officials with him,”
says the Lord.
4 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Judah,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because they have rejected the law of the Lord
and have not kept his decrees,
because they have been led astray by false gods,[g]
the gods[h] their ancestors followed,
5 I will send fire on Judah
that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem. ”
Judgment on Israel
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Israel,
even for four, I will not relent.
They sell the innocent for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals.
7 They trample on the heads of the poor
as on the dust of the ground
and deny justice to the oppressed.
Father and son use the same girl
and so profane my holy name.
8 They lie down beside every altar
on garments taken in pledge.
In the house of their god
they drink wine taken as fines.
9 “Yet I destroyed the Amorites before them,
though they were tall as the cedars
and strong as the oaks.
I destroyed their fruit above
and their roots below.
10 I brought you up out of Egypt
and led you forty years in the wilderness
to give you the land of the Amorites.
11 “I also raised up prophets from among your children
and Nazirites from among your youths.
Is this not true, people of Israel?”
declares the Lord.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine
and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.
13 “Now then, I will crush you
as a cart crushes when loaded with grain.
14 The swift will not escape,
the strong will not muster their strength,
and the warrior will not save his life.
15 The archer will not stand his ground,
the fleet-footed soldier will not get away,
and the horseman will not save his life.
16 Even the bravest warriors
will flee naked on that day,”
declares the Lord.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Proverbs 6:6-11
6 You people who don't want to work, think about the ant!
Consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander.
It has no leader or ruler.
8 But it stores up its food in summer.
It gathers its food at harvest time.
9 You lazy people, how long will you lie there?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 You might sleep a little or take a little nap.
You might even fold your hands and rest.
11 Then you would be poor, as if someone had robbed you.
You would have little, as if someone had stolen from you.
Ant Safari
July 13, 2012 — by Dennis Fisher
Go to the ant . . . . Consider her ways and be wise. —Proverbs 6:6
In his book Adventures Among Ants: A Global Safari with a Cast of Trillions, Mark Moffett reflects on his early childhood fascination with ants—an interest that didn’t die as he grew older. Moffett’s preoccupation led to his earning a doctorate at Harvard and then embarking on worldwide travel as an expert on the subject. His study has given him marvelous insights about these industrious creatures.
Long before Moffett discovered some of the wonders of the ant world, the Scriptures remarked on the ingenuity and work ethic of these tiny insects. Ants are held up by wise King Solomon as an example of industry for those who tend to be lazy: “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain . . . provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest” (Prov. 6:6-8).
The marvels of God’s creation are beautifully illustrated as God uses His creatures to instruct us. For instance, from the ant we can see the importance of planning ahead and laying away provisions for the future (30:25). God built spiritual lessons into nature itself, and we can learn from creatures even as tiny as an ant.
In the open book of nature faith remains unmoved—
Patterns of the Master-Builder by each fact are proved;
So with reverent hearts we ponder all the grand design
Of the universe around us, wrought by hands divine. —Peterson
In God’s pattern book of nature we can trace many valuable lessons.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
July 13, 2012
The Price of the Vision
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord . . . —Isaiah 6:1
Our soul’s personal history with God is often an account of the death of our heroes. Over and over again God has to remove our friends to put Himself in their place, and that is when we falter, fail, and become discouraged. Let me think about this personally— when the person died who represented for me all that God was, did I give up on everything in life? Did I become ill or disheartened? Or did I do as Isaiah did and see the Lord?
My vision of God is dependent upon the condition of my character. My character determines whether or not truth can even be revealed to me. Before I can say, “I saw the Lord,” there must be something in my character that conforms to the likeness of God. Until I am born again and really begin to see the kingdom of God, I only see from the perspective of my own biases. What I need is God’s surgical procedure— His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification.
Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever. Your prayer will then be, “In all the world there is no one but You, dear God; there is no one but You.”
Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Nothing Worse Than a Nag - #6655
Friday, July 13, 2012
All right, crossword puzzle fans, here we go! What is a three letter word for an annoying woman? Wait, wait, wait, wait! Don't put somebody's name in there like Sue. Don't do that. Let's see...the three letter word is uh...nag, right? N-A-G. And if you know a nag, you know there can be many cross words that come from her. I can't think of any names less desirable for a woman to be called. Who wants to be a nag? Who wants to be around one? But nags don't just happen. Oh no. They're made, not born.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You about "Nothing Worse Than a Nag."
Now, our word for today from the Word of God is found in Proverbs 21. I'm going to read verse 9, and then I'm going to skim over to verse 19 since it's on the same subject. Here's what it says, "Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife." Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor? Picture the guy up living on the roof. You know, "I'm going on the roof, Honey." Look, you notice this says, "If you are living with a nag, it would be better for you to go up and live there."
But that's not enough. Listen to what Solomon says now in verse 19:, "Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill tempered wife." He says the roof isn't good enough; you can still hear her on the roof. I'm going to the desert; at least I can't hear her there. Well, the Bible talks about nags here doesn't it; a quarrelsome, contentious wife? But hang on guys. Oh, no, you're not going to go free on this one totally.
Now, I have a word for today for potential nags, just in case you might turn out to be one some day, and for those who live with a candidate for naghood. Now, if you're tempted to be one, let me remind you of this: When you push on somebody...just do it physically. Put your hand on them and push on them. They're going to go the opposite way. That's a little physical experiment you can try. Now, the more you push, the farther and faster the person's going to go the other way. And the very thing you're trying to make happen you will delay and maybe you'll make it never happen.
I like what Ruth Graham, Billy Graham's wife, said. She said, "It is my job to love Billy. It's God's job to change him." It's wonderful when a woman can provide a climate of safety and security, and confidence and unconditional love in which a man might actually take the risk of changing.
But let's talk about the other side of this coin; the person who lives around the nag. Remember, nags are made, not born. When someone, and especially a woman, from what the Bible says here, feels she isn't being heard by someone she loves, she will talk louder, and longer, and more often to get heard. She's trying to find a way to get into the life of the man who promised his life to her. So, a man says, "Hey, I thought I married a thoroughbred. How'd I get a nag?" Look in the mirror. Look in the mirror. Because if a woman feels unheard by the man who's promised his life to her, she will talk louder and longer and more often.
Maybe you have a wife, a mother, a sister, or a daughter who just keeps pushing. Well, think about your part in helping her become like that. Maybe you've been the nag maker.
See, you can help change her. Start to hear her out; don't make her talk louder and longer. Offer your attention to her. She's been assuming she won't be heard. Why don't you show her that you will hear her out, not just her first sentence, but the whole paragraph? Sometimes she doesn't want you to fix anything; she just wants you to hear her heart. And then, if you're going to talk about solutions, do something about them. And love her enough to let her know that she is heard by you.
You and I and Solomon all agree. In fact, just about everybody agrees. There's nothing worse than a nag. So, let's decide right now not to be a nag. Oh yeah, or to create one.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Amos 1 Bible reading and devotionals.
Click here to hear the word of the Lord Jesus.
MaxLucado.com: A Wacky Idea
Imagine you’re 12. You’d much rather play with your friends than face a sink of dirty dishes–you groan, moan, and wonder how you might place yourself up for adoption. Then a wacky idea strikes you.
What if you surprise your mom by cleaning, not just the dishes, but the entire kitchen? You begin to smile. “I’ll sweep the floor and wipe down the cabinets. Maybe even re-organize the refrigerator!”
And from some unknown source comes a shot of energy! A dull task becomes an adventure. Why? Liberation! You’ve passed from slave to volunteer! Jesus said, “It’s the least that are the greatest…” “The last will be first. Matthew 20:16”
I call it the joy of the “second mile.” Have you found it? Daily do a deed for which you cannot be repaid. That’s the joy of the second mile!
From Great Day Every Day
Amos 1
1 The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa —the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash[a] was king of Israel.
2 He said:
“The Lord roars from Zion
and thunders from Jerusalem;
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
and the top of Carmel withers.”
Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors
3 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Damascus,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because she threshed Gilead
with sledges having iron teeth,
4 I will send fire on the house of Hazael
that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.
5 I will break down the gate of Damascus;
I will destroy the king who is in[b] the Valley of Aven[c]
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.
The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir, ”
says the Lord.
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Gaza,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because she took captive whole communities
and sold them to Edom,
7 I will send fire on the walls of Gaza
that will consume her fortresses.
8 I will destroy the king[d] of Ashdod
and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn my hand against Ekron,
till the last of the Philistines are dead,”
says the Sovereign Lord.
9 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Tyre,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom,
disregarding a treaty of brotherhood,
10 I will send fire on the walls of Tyre
that will consume her fortresses. ”
11 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Edom,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he pursued his brother with a sword
and slaughtered the women of the land,
because his anger raged continually
and his fury flamed unchecked,
12 I will send fire on Teman
that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah. ”
13 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Ammon,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead
in order to extend his borders,
14 I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah
that will consume her fortresses
amid war cries on the day of battle,
amid violent winds on a stormy day.
15 Her king[e] will go into exile,
he and his officials together, ”
says the Lord.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Acts 2:1-11
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1 The day of Pentecost came. The believers all gathered in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound came from heaven. It was like a strong wind blowing. It filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw something that looked like tongues of fire. The flames separated and settled on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in languages they had not known before. The Spirit gave them the ability to do this.
5 Godly Jews from every country in the world were staying in Jerusalem. 6 A crowd came together when they heard the sound. They were bewildered because they each heard the believers speaking in their own language. 7 The crowd was really amazed. They asked, "Aren't all these people from Galilee? 8 Why, then, do we each hear them speaking in our own native language? 9 We are Parthians, Medes and Elamites. We live in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia. We are from Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia. Others of us are from Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene. Still others are visitors from Rome. 11 Some of the visitors are Jews. Others have accepted the Jewish faith. Also, Cretans and Arabs are here. We hear all these people speaking about God's wonders in our own languages!"
Mysterious Invisibility
July 12, 2012 — by Bill Crowder
Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. —Acts 2:2
Across the United States and around the world, we often experience the dramatic effect of something no one can see. In 2011, for instance, several US cities were devastated by tornadoes that blew apart neighborhoods and business districts. And during each hurricane season, we are shocked as winds of more than 100 miles an hour threaten to destroy what we have built.
All of this is the result of an unseen force. Sure, we see the wind’s effects (flags flapping, debris flying), but we cannot see the wind itself. It works in mysterious invisibility.
In a sense, this is also true of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2, when believers experienced the filling of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, “suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). That wind was a tangible demonstration to those early Christians that the unseen Spirit was at work in their lives. And He still works in our lives today! If you are a follower of Christ, be encouraged. The Holy Spirit bears fruit in your life (Gal. 5:22-23), forms believers into one body (1 Cor. 12:13), and assures you of God’s presence (1 John 3:24). The Holy Spirit is a powerful Person in our lives—even though we can’t see Him.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my heart—illumine me,
Spirit divine. —Scott
The Holy Spirit works powerfully, though invisibly.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
July 12, 2012
The Spiritually Self-Seeking Church
. . . till we all come . . . to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ . . . —Ephesians 4:13
Reconciliation means the restoring of the relationship between the entire human race and God, putting it back to what God designed it to be. This is what Jesus Christ did in redemption. The church ceases to be spiritual when it becomes self-seeking, only interested in the development of its own organization. The reconciliation of the human race according to His plan means realizing Him not only in our lives individually, but also in our lives collectively. Jesus Christ sent apostles and teachers for this very purpose— that the corporate Person of Christ and His church, made up of many members, might be brought into being and made known. We are not here to develop a spiritual life of our own, or to enjoy a quiet spiritual retreat. We are here to have the full realization of Jesus Christ, for the purpose of building His body.
Am I building up the body of Christ, or am I only concerned about my own personal development? The essential thing is my personal relationship with Jesus Christ— “. . . that I may know Him. . .” (Philippians 3:10). To fulfill God’s perfect design for me requires my total surrender— complete abandonment of myself to Him. Whenever I only want things for myself, the relationship is distorted. And I will suffer great humiliation once I come to acknowledge and understand that I have not really been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ Himself, but only concerned with knowing what He has done for me.
My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace, Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.
Am I measuring my life by this standard or by something less?
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
A Paper Bridge - #6654
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Do you remember Humpty Dumpty? Well, you might be in the middle of a Humpty Dumpty relationship right now. You remember he fell down, went to pieces and all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty together again. Maybe that's how you feel right now; there are pieces all around you, and there's no one to put them together. The wreckage? Well, it could be a broken relationship or maybe a breaking relationship with a parent, or a child, a husband, a wife, or a friend. If you're one of the King's men or women, there's actually something you can do to put the pieces back together again if you will.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Paper Bridge."
Now, our word for today from the Word of God really has something to do with broken or breaking relationships. It says in Romans 12:17-18, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."
Now, this says that there is a segment of any relationship that really is up to you. And as much as it depends on you; you cannot control the other person's response of course. But your part should always contribute to peace. Now, it's very easy to hide your responsibility for the brokenness of that relationship, or the strain, or the distance.
You can say, "Oh, listen, what good would it do? They're never going to change." Or, "He/she doesn't understand; they don't want to understand." Or how about this, "If I did talk to them, they'd never listen." Or, "Listen, you know, I've tried so hard. What's the use?"
Listen, that relationship is worth fighting for. You're going to carry with you wherever you go the remains of that broken relationship, like all the broken pieces of Humpty Dumpty, carried around inside of you. I wonder, would you take one more initiative? Would you try to build a paper bridge to that person? To be able to say, "As much as I could do, I have done." You know what I'm going to ask you to do? Write a letter.
Now, if you haven't written a letter to them yet, well then maybe you haven't done all you could. You see, when you write, here's what happens. It will be much clearer than if you don't write and you try to just say it, because when you just say it you get distracted. And they'll answer and you'll answer back. And also, if you'll write it they'll consider it a lot more seriously; they'll read it over and over again and they're not going to have to be thinking of what they're going to say next. So, you sort of have their full attention.
And I'd like to suggest to you five paragraphs in that letter with that person that, well, there's a strained relationship. I'll give you the opening sentence of each paragraph, and then it's up to you.
Paragraph number one, "I love you..." Start with that; explain your love for them. The second paragraph, "Thank you for..." Just begin to reflect on some of the things you do appreciate about them. I know there's a lot of things that frustrate you, bother you, but you never would have had a relationship with them if there weren't some things you appreciate about them. Would you start to list those? "Thank you for..." The third paragraph begins with these very difficult words, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for my part of the brokenness; for anything I've contributed to a broken or strained relationship." The fourth paragraph says, "I wish we could... Here's how I'd like our relationship to be..." "Whatever's happened in the past, here's how I'd like it to be from now on." The last paragraph, "I promise..." "Here's my commitments to you." Okay, did you get that? "I love you," Thank you," "I'm sorry," "I wish we could," "I promise," and then you get on your knees and you lay that letter before the Lord and you pray over it.
And then you talk about it with the person after it arrives. Let them read it. Ask them if they would talk with you after it arrives. Look, what have you got to lose? And maybe it will be a new beginning. For some people I know it has been. And you will have fulfilled what the Scripture says, "As far as it depends on you, live at peace."
Give God a chance to take that relationship and mend it again, using that letter as a beginning, because that relationship's going to be a part of you wherever you go.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Acts 15 bible reading and devotionals.
(Talk with God lately if not click to listen to God’s teaching)
Max Lucado Daily: A Choice
Mount Everest is sudden blinding snow. Temperatures are hovering below zero. In two hours, Dan Mazur would be at the summit realizing a lifelong dream. He sees a flash of color; a person perched on a razor-edged rock.
“What’s your name?” he shouts.
“Lincoln Hall,” was the reply.
Earlier he’d heard the announcement, “Lincoln Hall is dead on the mountain.”
Dan was face to face with a miracle. He was also face to face with a choice! Descending a mountain has profound risks. How long would Lincoln live anyway? He had to choose. Abandon his dream or abandon Lincoln Hall.
We make defining decisions every day. Not on Everest, but with spouses, children, at work, in school, in churches. Jesus tells us to “honor others above ourselves.” Give more than requested. Do more than demanded.
The sweetest satisfaction lies not in climbing your own Everest, but in helping others climb theirs!
“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor. Romans 12:10?
From Great Day Every Day
Acts 15:1-21
New International Version (NIV)
The Council at Jerusalem
15 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Simon[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16 “‘After this I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’[b] —
18 things known from long ago.[c]
19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Leviticus 26:1-12
Rewards for Obeying the Lord
1 " 'Do not make statues of gods for yourselves. Do not set up a likeness of a god or a sacred stone for yourselves. Do not place a carved stone in your land and bow down in front of it. I am the Lord your God.
2 " 'You must always keep my Sabbath days. Have respect for my sacred tent. I am the Lord.
3 " 'Follow my rules. Be careful to obey my commands. 4 Then I will send you rain at the right time. The ground will produce its crops. The trees of the field will bear their fruit. 5 You will continue to thresh your grain until you gather your grapes. You will continue to gather your grapes until you plant your crops. You will have all you want to eat. And you will live in safety in your land.
6 " 'I will give you peace in the land. You will sleep, and no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild animals from the land. There will not be any war in your country. 7 You will hunt down your enemies. You will kill them with your swords. 8 Five of you will chase 100. And 100 of you will chase 10,000. You will kill your enemies with your swords.
9 " 'I will look with favor on you. I will give you many children and increase your numbers. And I will keep my covenant with you. 10 You will still be eating last year's crops when you have to move them out to make room for new crops.
11 " 'I will live among you. I will not turn away from you. 12 I will walk among you. I will be your God. And you will be my people.
Sweet Slumber
July 11, 2012 — by Julie Ackerman Link
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. —Psalm 4:8
Photographer Anne Geddes has made an art form out of taking pictures of sleeping babies. Her photos evoke smiles. Nothing is a better image of peace than a sleeping child.
But between naps and nighttime, caring for children is an exhausting and relentless responsibility. In their innocence and enthusiasm, children can get themselves into life-threatening situations in no time. After a hectic day of chasing, entertaining, protecting, feeding, dressing, guarding, guiding, and making peace between squabbling siblings, parents are eager for bedtime. After the toys are put away and the pajamas are put on, the sleepy toddler slows down, cuddles with mom or dad for a bedtime story, and finally falls asleep. Later, before putting themselves to bed, parents check on their children one more time to make sure all is peaceful in dreamland. The serene beauty of a sleeping child makes all the day’s frustrations worthwhile.
Scripture indicates that God’s ideal condition for His children is peace (Lev. 26:6), but too often in our immaturity we get into trouble and cause conflict. Like parents of young children, God desires for us to become weary of wrongdoing and to rest in the safety and contentment of His loving ways.
Lord, help me not to squabble and cause friction
with others about unimportant matters.
May I instead find rest in Your love and wisdom,
and seek peace. Amen.
In His will is our peace. —Dante
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
July 11, 2012
The Spiritually Vigorous Saint
. . . that I may know Him . . . —Philippians 3:10
A saint is not to take the initiative toward self-realization, but toward knowing Jesus Christ. A spiritually vigorous saint never believes that his circumstances simply happen at random, nor does he ever think of his life as being divided into the secular and the sacred. He sees every situation in which he finds himself as the means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ, and he has an attitude of unrestrained abandon and total surrender about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we will have the realization of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives, and He will bring us back to the same point over and over again until we do. Self-realization only leads to the glorification of good works, whereas a saint of God glorifies Jesus Christ through his good works. Whatever we may be doing— even eating, drinking, or washing disciples’ feet— we have to take the initiative of realizing and recognizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial task. “Jesus, knowing . . . that He had come from God and was going to God, . . . took a towel . . . and began to wash the disciples’ feet . . .” (John 13:3-5).
The aim of a spiritually vigorous saint is “that I may know Him . . .” Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am not here for self-realization, but to know Jesus Christ. In Christian work our initiative and motivation are too often simply the result of realizing that there is work to be done and that we must do it. Yet that is never the attitude of a spiritually vigorous saint. His aim is to achieve the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Super Donkey - #6653
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
On the Sunday before Easter, my pastor was talking about the donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. And my mind wandered, (that's never the pastor's fault,) to a horse that I met one day in Texas.
I was recording my youth broadcast with a live teenage audience on a Texas cattle ranch, and I asked if they could arrange a horse for city boy Ron to ride. Yeah, well, two adjectives defined my equine request - "old, harmless." Yeah, give me a horse that's old and harmless. So, here I am dressed in a cowboy hat and chaps (by the way, all those photos have been burned), and I mounted the steed that they found for me.
I should have asked his name sooner. See, this town had a monster tornado some years ago. You want to guess my horse's name? Yeah, I'm already on it when they said, "Tornado." Yeah. There was no turning back!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Super Donkey."
OK, back to the Palm Sunday donkey. When two of Jesus' disciples went to fetch the animal for Jesus' entry to Jerusalem, they might well have named him Tornado. Because Jesus said the donkey He sent them for was one "no one has ever ridden" (Luke 19:30). We're talking here a long-eared version of a buckin' bronco!
But I think that might be the overlooked miracle of Palm Sunday. With Jesus on board, that wild donkey just isn't wild. Even when they're passing through those surging crowds of "loud voices," the Bible says, praising Jesus, that unbroken donkey doesn't bolt, doesn't freak out. Again, Jesus is on board.
Which gives me another reason to join those voices who celebrated Jesus on the first day of the week that changed the world. He has power to tame what has never been tamed, including the animal inside me and inside you.
We don't have to accept as un-tamable that temper that scars the people we love, or that lustful passion that makes us feel so defeated and ashamed. This Jesus, who one week after Palm Sunday blew death away, has power to conquer in us what has been unconquerable for us. The Bible radiates hope of winning with this promise in our word for today from the Word of God in Romans 6:14 and 18: "Sin shall not be your master...you have been set free from sin."
The taming miracle of Jesus begins when you relinquish the reins to Him. Because, as the Bible says, "our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ...gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness" (Titus 2:13-14). When He had bled out His life for us on that cross, He declared, "It is finished!" And that blood-bought victory included breaking the power of the animal inside us.
Oh yeah, my pastor prompted another thought during the Palm Sunday sermon. The disciples were given the curious assignment of just finding this donkey, untying him and bringing him to Jesus without asking the owner. Now, I don't know about you, but I'd be thinking about how I would look in prison stripes. But Jesus had told them, "If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it'" (Luke 19:31). That's all the owner needed to hear. Little did he know that his nondescript beast of burden would be immortalized for carrying the King of kings to His date with destiny.
I think Jesus is still asking us to release something we have so He can use it. A talent, an ability, some money or valuables we've been hanging onto, maybe a ministry that we've hijacked from Him, a position of influence we have, our career, our retirement plans, or a child that we will not release to the call that God's given them. The finger of God may be reaching down from heaven and pointing to something or someone that we're holding tightly. And He's saying, "The Lord needs it."
You know, it may be your time to make Him more than the Savior of the world. It's time to make Him your Savior. If you want to know more about how you can take that step and begin a relationship with Him, and have the animal inside of you finally tamed by the One who walked out of His grave and has the power to do it, I hope you'll check out our website - YoursForLife.net.
If we'll let it go, whatever we've been hanging onto, He will do with it what we could never imagine. And He'll make whatever you release to Him into a miracle...like the Super Donkey
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Jonah 4 bible reading and devotionals.
(Talk with God lately if not click to listen to God’s teaching)
Max Lucado: Three Questions
I’ve got three questions for you today!
The next time you’re mired in a bad day, check your outlook with these three questions:
1) What do I feel guilty about?
2) What am I worried about?
3) What am I about?
Reflect on your answers with these reminders!
Yesterday — forgiven.
Tomorrow – surrendered.
Today — clarified.
Here’s my proposal. Consult Jesus! The Ancient of Days has something to say about our days. In Colossians 3:2, the Apostle Paul says, “Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground. Look up, and be alert to what’s going on around Christ–that’s where the action is.” In Matthew 11:30, Jesus says, “The load I give you to carry is light.”
Jesus’ design for a good day makes sense! His grace erases guilt. His oversight removes fear. His direction removes confusion.
Saturate your day in His grace. Entrust your day to His oversight. Give the day a chance!
From: Great Day Every Day
Jonah 4
Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion
4 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant[c] and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Luke 7:18-28
Jesus and John the Baptist
18 John's disciples told him about all these things. So he chose two of them. 19 He sent them to the Lord. They were to ask Jesus, "Are you the one who was supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?"
20 The men came to Jesus. They said, "John the Baptist sent us to ask you, 'Are you the one who was supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?' "
21 At that very time Jesus healed many people. They had illnesses, sicknesses and evil spirits. He also gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So Jesus replied to the messengers, "Go back to John. Tell him what you have seen and heard. Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are healed. Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is preached to those who are poor. 23 Blessed are those who do not give up their faith because of me."
24 So John's messengers left. Then Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, "What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. Those who wear fine clothes and have many expensive things are in palaces. 26 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
27 "He is the one written about in Scripture. It says,
" 'I will send my messenger ahead of you.
He will prepare your way for you.' —(Malachi 3:1) 28 I tell you, no one more important than John has ever been born. But the least important person in God's kingdom is more important than he is."
It’s Okay To Ask
July 10, 2012 — by Randy Kilgore
have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, . . . the poor have the gospel preached to them. —Luke 7:22
It’s perfectly natural for fear and doubt to creep into our minds at times. “What if heaven isn’t real after all?” “Is Jesus the only way to God?” “Will it matter in the end how I lived my life?” Questions like these should not be given quick or trite responses.
John the Baptist, whom Jesus called the greatest of the prophets (Luke 7:28), had questions shortly before his execution (v.19). He wanted to know for sure that Jesus was the Messiah and that his own ministry had therefore been valid.
Jesus’ response is a comforting model for us to use. Instead of discounting the doubt or criticizing John, Jesus pointed to the miracles He was doing. As eyewitnesses, John’s disciples could return with vivid assurances for their mentor. But He did more—He used words and phrases (v.22) drawn from Isaiah’s prophecies of the coming Messiah (Isa. 35:4-6; 61:1), which were certain to be familiar to John.
Then, turning to the crowd, Jesus praised John (Luke 7:24-28), removing any doubt that He was offended by John’s need for reassurance after all he had seen (Matt. 3:13-17).
Questioning and doubting, both understandable human responses, are opportunities to remind, reassure, and comfort those who are shaken by uncertainty.
When my poor soul in doubt is cast
And darkness hides the Savior’s face,
His love and truth still hold me fast
For He will keep me by His grace. —D. De Haan
Reassurance comes as we doubt our doubts and believe our beliefs.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
July 10, 2012
The Spiritually Lazy Saint
Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together . . . —Hebrews 10:24-25
We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints. We want to stay off the rough roads of life, and our primary objective is to secure a peaceful retreat from the world. The ideas put forth in these verses from Hebrews 10 are those of stirring up one another and of keeping ourselves together. Both of these require initiative— our willingness to take the first step toward Christ-realization, not the initiative toward self-realization. To live a distant, withdrawn, and secluded life is diametrically opposed to spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.
The true test of our spirituality occurs when we come up against injustice, degradation, ingratitude, and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritually lazy. While being tested, we want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of finding a quiet retreat. We use God only for the sake of getting peace and joy. We seek only our enjoyment of Jesus Christ, not a true realization of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things we are seeking are simply effects, and yet we try to make them causes.
“Yes, I think it is right,” Peter said, “. . . to stir you up by reminding you . . .” (2 Peter 1:13). It is a most disturbing thing to be hit squarely in the stomach by someone being used of God to stir us up— someone who is full of spiritual activity. Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The real danger in spiritual laziness is that we do not want to be stirred up— all we want to hear about is a spiritual retirement from the world. Yet Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement— He says, “Go and tell My brethren . . .” (Matthew 28:10).
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Braving the Cold, Building a Fire - #6652
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Winter came early to the mountains where we were spending our summer vacation. Of course, that's to be expected if we're on vacation; in the summer, it's probably going to get to be winter. But one night the temperature actually dropped into the 30s and no one was prepared for that. We're in this little cabin, and all of us... suddenly we are snuggling under this warm, Hudson Bay blanket. Therefore, we actually didn't have any awareness of how cold it was outside, because, well, we were warm.
Well, I ventured out of bed first that morning, and I very quickly discovered that we were in a very cold situation. So I wrapped up in everything I could find and I knew what I had to do. I had to get to the only source of heat in that cabin, which was the wood stove, and I had to get a fire going as fast as possible - pioneer Ron. You know if you're warm where you are, it is pretty easy to forget how cold it is all around you.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Braving the Cold, Building a Fire."
Now, our word for today from the Word of God is about braving the cold and building a fire I guess you could say. It's in Romans 15. I'm going to read verses 20 and 21, where Paul talks about the driving ambition of his life. Here's what he says, "It has always been my ambition..." What's that, Paul? "...to preach the gospel where Christ was not known so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. Rather, as it is written, those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand."
Now, I like that word ambition. I don't know what you think of when you think of ambition, but don't you usually think of somebody driving and pushing for something that they're determined is going to happen in their life; sort of a consuming, obsessing goal?
Paul says here that this magnificent obsession for him is to get to a world out there who has no knowledge about our Jesus. In essence, Paul is saying, "I want to go out into the cold; there's a big, cold world out there, and I want to go out and build a fire where there is no warmth. I can't just keep staying where it's warm." I hope you feel that way; I hope it's a driving ambition of your life, because I know it's how God feels. I know it's what drove Jesus. He said He was here to seek and save the lost.
See, we Western Christians live under a pretty warm blanket spiritually, don't we? We're warmed by lots of Bible studies and seminars, concerts, Christian radio, Christian books, our favorite teachers, our heroes. But outside our little blanket, it's a very cold world.
Martin Marty, the church historian was quoted on the front page of the Wall Street Journal as saying, "If you're part of the evangelical subculture, it's your whole life. You go to church, you buy the religious books, you watch the television programs. But if you're not part of the subculture, you never even know it exists." Yeah, there's a cold world out there where families are collapsing, sex and love are totally devalued, relationships are disappointing, broken. There's an epidemic of loneliness. There's no meaning to stick around for. There is a quiet desperation.
It's time for us to get out from under our blanket and start a fire. You can't be content or comfortable any longer. Let's pray, "Lord, I want to lift up my eyes to the lost people around me. I want to live my life to reach them; to rescue them for You. I want to urge my church to see that it exists for those who aren't in the church yet; not just for those who already are."
Let's actually ask God to break our heart with the things that break His. Take some risks to reach your neighbor, to give, to reach out to other people, to see your time, your money, your influence, your building, and your talent as a resource to take Christ's warmth into a cold, cold world. We've got to get out there and build a fire.
Max Lucado: Three Questions
I’ve got three questions for you today!
The next time you’re mired in a bad day, check your outlook with these three questions:
1) What do I feel guilty about?
2) What am I worried about?
3) What am I about?
Reflect on your answers with these reminders!
Yesterday — forgiven.
Tomorrow – surrendered.
Today — clarified.
Here’s my proposal. Consult Jesus! The Ancient of Days has something to say about our days. In Colossians 3:2, the Apostle Paul says, “Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground. Look up, and be alert to what’s going on around Christ–that’s where the action is.” In Matthew 11:30, Jesus says, “The load I give you to carry is light.”
Jesus’ design for a good day makes sense! His grace erases guilt. His oversight removes fear. His direction removes confusion.
Saturate your day in His grace. Entrust your day to His oversight. Give the day a chance!
From: Great Day Every Day
Jonah 4
Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion
4 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant[c] and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Luke 7:18-28
Jesus and John the Baptist
18 John's disciples told him about all these things. So he chose two of them. 19 He sent them to the Lord. They were to ask Jesus, "Are you the one who was supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?"
20 The men came to Jesus. They said, "John the Baptist sent us to ask you, 'Are you the one who was supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?' "
21 At that very time Jesus healed many people. They had illnesses, sicknesses and evil spirits. He also gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So Jesus replied to the messengers, "Go back to John. Tell him what you have seen and heard. Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are healed. Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is preached to those who are poor. 23 Blessed are those who do not give up their faith because of me."
24 So John's messengers left. Then Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, "What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. Those who wear fine clothes and have many expensive things are in palaces. 26 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
27 "He is the one written about in Scripture. It says,
" 'I will send my messenger ahead of you.
He will prepare your way for you.' —(Malachi 3:1) 28 I tell you, no one more important than John has ever been born. But the least important person in God's kingdom is more important than he is."
It’s Okay To Ask
July 10, 2012 — by Randy Kilgore
have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, . . . the poor have the gospel preached to them. —Luke 7:22
It’s perfectly natural for fear and doubt to creep into our minds at times. “What if heaven isn’t real after all?” “Is Jesus the only way to God?” “Will it matter in the end how I lived my life?” Questions like these should not be given quick or trite responses.
John the Baptist, whom Jesus called the greatest of the prophets (Luke 7:28), had questions shortly before his execution (v.19). He wanted to know for sure that Jesus was the Messiah and that his own ministry had therefore been valid.
Jesus’ response is a comforting model for us to use. Instead of discounting the doubt or criticizing John, Jesus pointed to the miracles He was doing. As eyewitnesses, John’s disciples could return with vivid assurances for their mentor. But He did more—He used words and phrases (v.22) drawn from Isaiah’s prophecies of the coming Messiah (Isa. 35:4-6; 61:1), which were certain to be familiar to John.
Then, turning to the crowd, Jesus praised John (Luke 7:24-28), removing any doubt that He was offended by John’s need for reassurance after all he had seen (Matt. 3:13-17).
Questioning and doubting, both understandable human responses, are opportunities to remind, reassure, and comfort those who are shaken by uncertainty.
When my poor soul in doubt is cast
And darkness hides the Savior’s face,
His love and truth still hold me fast
For He will keep me by His grace. —D. De Haan
Reassurance comes as we doubt our doubts and believe our beliefs.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
July 10, 2012
The Spiritually Lazy Saint
Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together . . . —Hebrews 10:24-25
We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints. We want to stay off the rough roads of life, and our primary objective is to secure a peaceful retreat from the world. The ideas put forth in these verses from Hebrews 10 are those of stirring up one another and of keeping ourselves together. Both of these require initiative— our willingness to take the first step toward Christ-realization, not the initiative toward self-realization. To live a distant, withdrawn, and secluded life is diametrically opposed to spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.
The true test of our spirituality occurs when we come up against injustice, degradation, ingratitude, and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritually lazy. While being tested, we want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of finding a quiet retreat. We use God only for the sake of getting peace and joy. We seek only our enjoyment of Jesus Christ, not a true realization of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things we are seeking are simply effects, and yet we try to make them causes.
“Yes, I think it is right,” Peter said, “. . . to stir you up by reminding you . . .” (2 Peter 1:13). It is a most disturbing thing to be hit squarely in the stomach by someone being used of God to stir us up— someone who is full of spiritual activity. Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The real danger in spiritual laziness is that we do not want to be stirred up— all we want to hear about is a spiritual retirement from the world. Yet Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement— He says, “Go and tell My brethren . . .” (Matthew 28:10).
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Braving the Cold, Building a Fire - #6652
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Winter came early to the mountains where we were spending our summer vacation. Of course, that's to be expected if we're on vacation; in the summer, it's probably going to get to be winter. But one night the temperature actually dropped into the 30s and no one was prepared for that. We're in this little cabin, and all of us... suddenly we are snuggling under this warm, Hudson Bay blanket. Therefore, we actually didn't have any awareness of how cold it was outside, because, well, we were warm.
Well, I ventured out of bed first that morning, and I very quickly discovered that we were in a very cold situation. So I wrapped up in everything I could find and I knew what I had to do. I had to get to the only source of heat in that cabin, which was the wood stove, and I had to get a fire going as fast as possible - pioneer Ron. You know if you're warm where you are, it is pretty easy to forget how cold it is all around you.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Braving the Cold, Building a Fire."
Now, our word for today from the Word of God is about braving the cold and building a fire I guess you could say. It's in Romans 15. I'm going to read verses 20 and 21, where Paul talks about the driving ambition of his life. Here's what he says, "It has always been my ambition..." What's that, Paul? "...to preach the gospel where Christ was not known so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. Rather, as it is written, those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand."
Now, I like that word ambition. I don't know what you think of when you think of ambition, but don't you usually think of somebody driving and pushing for something that they're determined is going to happen in their life; sort of a consuming, obsessing goal?
Paul says here that this magnificent obsession for him is to get to a world out there who has no knowledge about our Jesus. In essence, Paul is saying, "I want to go out into the cold; there's a big, cold world out there, and I want to go out and build a fire where there is no warmth. I can't just keep staying where it's warm." I hope you feel that way; I hope it's a driving ambition of your life, because I know it's how God feels. I know it's what drove Jesus. He said He was here to seek and save the lost.See, we Western Christians live under a pretty warm blanket spiritually, don't we? We're warmed by lots of Bible studies and seminars, concerts, Christian radio, Christian books, our favorite teachers, our heroes. But outside our little blanket, it's a very cold world.
Martin Marty, the church historian was quoted on the front page of the Wall Street Journal as saying, "If you're part of the evangelical subculture, it's your whole life. You go to church, you buy the religious books, you watch the television programs. But if you're not part of the subculture, you never even know it exists." Yeah, there's a cold world out there where families are collapsing, sex and love are totally devalued, relationships are disappointing, broken. There's an epidemic of loneliness. There's no meaning to stick around for. There is a quiet desperation.
It's time for us to get out from under our blanket and start a fire. You can't be content or comfortable any longer. Let's pray, "Lord, I want to lift up my eyes to the lost people around me. I want to live my life to reach them; to rescue them for You. I want to urge my church to see that it exists for those who aren't in the church yet; not just for those who already are."
Let's actually ask God to break our heart with the things that break His. Take some risks to reach your neighbor, to give, to reach out to other people, to see your time, your money, your influence, your building, and your talent as a resource to take Christ's warmth into a cold, cold world. We've got to get out there and build a fire.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Jonah 3 bible reading and devotionals.
Max Lucado Daily: Give the Day a Chance
“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24”
Let the words sink in. God made this day, ordained this hard hour, designed the details of this wrenching moment. He is not on holiday. God still holds the conductor’s baton, sits in the cockpit, and occupies the universe’s only throne.
Give the day a chance. Change your view.
Imitate the resolve of the psalmist: “I will rejoice and be glad in it!” This IS the day the Lord has made. Live in it! You must be present to win.
Don’t heavy today with yesterday’s regrets or acidize it with tomorrow’s troubles. We sabotage our day, wiring it for disaster, lugging along yesterday’s trouble. We practice remorse over the past and anxiety over the future. We aren’t giving the day a chance!
Fill your day with God. Choose to make it great!
From Great Day Every Day
Jonah 3
Jonah Goes to Nineveh
3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:
“By the decree of the king and his nobles:
Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”
10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: 1 Chronicles 17:16-24
David Prays to the Lord
16 Then King David went into the holy tent. He sat down in front of the Lord. He said,
"Lord God, who am I? My family isn't important. So why have you brought me this far? 17 I would have thought that you had already done more than enough for me. But now, God, you have spoken about what is going to happen to my royal house in days to come. Lord God, you have treated me as if I were the most honored man of all.
18 "What more can I say to you for honoring me? You know all about me. 19 Lord, you have done a wonderful thing. You have given me many great promises. All of them are for my good. They are exactly what you wanted to give me.
20 "Lord, there isn't anyone like you. There isn't any God but you. We have heard about it with our own ears.
21 "Who is like your people Israel? God, we are the one nation on earth you have saved. You have set us free for yourself. Your name has become famous. You have done great and wonderful things. You have driven nations out to make room for your people. You saved us when you set us free from Egypt. No other god has done any of those things for its people. 22 You made Israel your very own people forever. Lord, you have become our God.
23 "And now, Lord, let the promise you have made to me and my royal house stand forever. Do exactly as you promised. 24 When your promise comes true, your name will be honored forever. People will say, 'The Lord rules over all. He is the God over Israel. He is Israel's God.' My royal house will be made secure in your sight.
Who’s Behind It?
July 9, 2012 — by Albert Lee
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights. —James 1:17
At a cultural show in Bandung, Indonesia, we enjoyed a wonderful orchestra performance. Before the finale, the 200 people in the audience were each handed an angklung, a musical instrument made of bamboo. We were taught how to shake it in rhythm with the conductor’s timing. Soon we thought we were performing like an orchestra; we felt so proud of how well we were doing! Then it dawned on me that we were not the ones who were good; it was the conductor who deserved the credit.
Similarly, when everything is going well in our lives, it’s easy to feel proud. We’re tempted to think that we are good and that it is by our abilities that we’ve achieved success. During such moments, we tend to forget that behind it all is our good God who prompts, prevents, provides, and protects.
David remembered that truth: “Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: ‘Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?’” (1 Chron. 17:16). David’s heart swelled up in appreciation of God’s goodness.
The next time we are tempted to take credit for the blessings we enjoy, let’s pause and remember that it is the Lord who brings blessing.
No strength of our own, nor goodness we claim;
Our trust is all thrown on Jesus’ name:
In this our strong tower for safety we hide;
The Lord is our power, “The Lord will provide.” —Newton
The hand of the Father is behind all good things.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
July 9, 2012
Will You Examine Yourself?
Joshua said to the people, ’You cannot serve the Lord . . .’ —Joshua 24:19
Do you have even the slightest reliance on anything or anyone other than God? Is there a remnant of reliance left on any natural quality within you, or on any particular set of circumstances? Are you relying on yourself in any manner whatsoever regarding this new proposal or plan which God has placed before you? Will you examine yourself by asking these probing questions? It really is true to say, “I cannot live a holy life,” but you can decide to let Jesus Christ make you holy. “You cannot serve the Lord . . .”— but you can place yourself in the proper position where God’s almighty power will flow through you. Is your relationship with God sufficient for you to expect Him to exhibit His wonderful life in you?
“The people said to Joshua, ’No, but we will serve the Lord!” (Joshua 24:21). This is not an impulsive action, but a deliberate commitment. We tend to say, “But God could never have called me to this. I’m too unworthy. It can’t mean me.” It does mean you, and the more weak and feeble you are, the better. The person who is still relying and trusting in anything within himself is the last person to even come close to saying, “I will serve the Lord.”
We say, “Oh, if only I really could believe!” The question is, “Will I believe?” No wonder Jesus Christ placed such emphasis on the sin of unbelief. “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58). If we really believed that God meant what He said, just imagine what we would be like! Do I really dare to let God be to me all that He says He will be?
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
The Filter That Makes the Difference - #6651
Monday, July 9, 2012
America runs on coffee! Yeah, let's face it! Now, you might object to that, but I don't know on what grounds. You know, there are people who drink coffee, and then there are some who mainline coffee. I have friends who do that, and it keeps people like the makers of those little quickie coffee units very busy. In fact, those little units are a good example of the importance of something called the filter.
Now, when you pour into those filters, the hot water goes straight through and enough coffee gets through to taste good, but the grounds don't get through the filter and you don't want them to. I mean, the reason being that most people I know aren't fans of chewing their coffee, and what makes the difference is the filter. Of course, there's a much larger filter around your life that makes all the difference in your quality of life.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Filter That Makes the Difference."
Now, our word for today from the Word of God is found in 1 Corinthians 10. I'm reading from verse 13. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man, and God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
Did you notice those words "God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear"? "Not let you." In other words, everything has to get past God before it gets to you. It's got to have His permission. So, God is reviewing every test and every trial that comes into your life before it gets to you. Otherwise the Bible wouldn't say that He "let it come to you." Every problem you're facing right now has been, according to the Word of God, has been Father-filtered. Wow! It can't get past your Heavenly Father before it gets to you.
Of course we know that from the book of Job don't we? The devil wanted to bring all kinds of turmoil and anguish into Job's life. But before he could do that, he had to check with God. He couldn't just go do it on his own. And God, knowing that it would build Job's life, and that ultimately he would double the blessing on his life, said, "Yes, that's okay. You can do it."
The pain that we have in our lives, the struggles that we have, some of it God sends and some of it God allows, but all of it has to get past Him. Now, I find the hard times in my life much less terrifying when I know that God, if He hasn't sent it, has at least allowed it. And He will never allow something to come into your life that can break you; only what will build you.
It's like a weight lifter who, even though he has to strain and push and it hurts to lift more than he's ever lifted before, he's stronger as a result of lifting greater weight. God may allow greater weight to come into your life; not enough to crush you, but enough to make you stronger.
So, look for the Lord and look for the lesson in that tough time you're going through. And if you're going to get the pain, get the point. Your Father loves you very deeply; He's allowed that to come into your life. Don't say, "Is this from the devil or is this from the Lord?" I don't think we'll ever figure that out. But you can say, "How can God use this?" Because He wouldn't have sent it if He couldn't use it.
What you're facing right now? It has been Father-filtered, and the filter makes all the difference.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Jonah 2 bible reading and devotionals.
(Talk with God lately if not click to listen to God’s teaching)
Max Lucado Daily: God’s Salvation
“It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us in sending his Son to be the way to take away our sins.” I John 4:10
Please note: salvation is God-given, God-driven, God-empowered, and God-originated. The gift is not from man to God. It is from God to man . . .
Grace is created by God and given to man.
Jonah 2
Jonah’s Prayer
17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 2 1 [a]From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said:
“In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
3 You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
4 I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
5 The engulfing waters threatened me,[b]
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
7 “When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Acts 7:59–8:8
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
8 And Saul approved of their killing him.
The Church Persecuted and Scattered
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
Philip in Samaria
4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.
The Viral Gospel
July 8, 2012 — by David C. McCasland
Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word. —Acts 8:4
The term “viral video” refers to a short clip posted on the Internet that spreads rapidly as the link is sent from one person to another. The video may be funny, inspiring, or thought provoking, and it can quickly spread around the world and be seen by millions of people. It’s an advertiser’s dream, but few marketing experts are able to exploit it. Lacy Kemp wrote: “How do you make something spread like wildfire? The answer is that you can’t. It’s not something to plan for or else everyone would be doing it. It has to be awesome enough on its own to get there.”
The gospel of Jesus Christ is “viral” in the way it spreads from one person to another. After Stephen, a leader in the early church, was stoned for his faith, the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem were persecuted and forced to leave their homes (Acts 8:1-3). Instead of fearfully holding back, these Christians told people about Him wherever they went. “Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word” (v.4).
When we truly know Christ we cannot keep the good news about Him to ourselves. Even in the most challenging circumstances, we want to keep on telling others about our Savior and Lord.
Lord, You have been so gracious to save us
and give us eternal life. We love You and want
to tell everyone we can
about Your amazing grace. Lead us, we pray.
Spread the gospel; it’s contagious!
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
July 8, 2012
Will To Be Faithful
. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . —Joshua 24:15
A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.
“. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . .” Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.
Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves . . .” (Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Jonah 1 bible reading and devotionals.
Click here to hear the message from the Lord.
Max Lucado Daily: Our Forever House
“I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6, NKJV
Where will you live forever? In the house of the Lord. If his house is your “forever house,” what does that make this earthly house? You got it! Short term housing. This is not our home.
This explains the homesickness we feel . . . Deep down you know you are not home yet. So be careful not to act like you are.
Jonah 1
Jonah Flees From the Lord
1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish . He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”
7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”
9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. ”
10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)
11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”
12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”
13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Genesis 48:8-16
8 When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”
9 “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father.
Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.”
10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”
12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life to this day,
16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm
—may he bless these boys.
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
and may they increase greatly
on the earth.”
Looking Back
July 7, 2012 — by David H. Roper
God . . . has fed me all my life long to this day. —Genesis 48:15
George Matheson, best known for the hymn, “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go,” wrote another song titled “Ignored Blessings,” in which he looks back to “the road gone by.” It was by looking back he could see that his heavenly Father had led him all the way.
God has an itinerary for each of us, a “course” that we must run (see Acts 20:24 and 2 Tim. 4:7). Our route is charted in the councils of heaven and rooted in the sovereign purposes of God.
Yet our choices are not irrelevant. We make decisions every day, large and small, some of which have life-altering consequences. The question—aside from the confounding mystery of God’s sovereignty and human choice—is this: How can we discern the course to be run?
The answer is clearer to me now that I’m older and have more of the past to look back on. By looking back, I see that God has led me all the way. I can truthfully say, “God has been my shepherd all my life to this day” (Gen. 48:15 NIV). Though clouds surround the present and I do not know what the future may hold, I have the assurance that the Shepherd will show me the way. My task is to follow Him in love and obedience, and trust each step to Him.
O Father of light and leading,
From the top of each rising hill
Let me cast my eye on the road gone by
To mark the steps of Thy will. —Matheson
We can trust our all-knowing God for the unknown future.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
July 7, 2012
All Efforts of Worth and Excellence Are Difficult
Enter by the narrow gate . . . . Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life . . . —Matthew 7:13-14
If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all efforts of worth and excellence are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but its difficulty does not make us faint and cave in—it stirs us up to overcome. Do we appreciate the miraculous salvation of Jesus Christ enough to be our utmost for His highest—our best for His glory?
God saves people by His sovereign grace through the atonement of Jesus, and “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). But we have to “work out” that salvation in our everyday, practical living (Philippians 2:12). If we will only start on the basis of His redemption to do what He commands, then we will find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not yet put into practice what God has placed within us. But a crisis will reveal whether or not we have been putting it into practice. If we will obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has placed within us by His Spirit, then when a crisis does come we will find that our own nature, as well as the grace of God, will stand by us.
Thank God that He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a joyous thing, but it is also something that requires bravery, courage, and holiness. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10 , and God will not shield us from the requirements of sonship. God’s grace produces men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not pampered, spoiled weaklings. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the worthy and excellent life of a disciple of Jesus in the realities of life. And it is always necessary for us to make an effort to live a life of worth and excellence.
Friday, July 6, 2012
James 5 bible reading and devotionals.
(Talk with God lately if not click to listen to God’s teaching)
Max Lucado Daily: Something to Complain About
If you look hard enough and long enough, you’ll find something to complain about!
Adam and Eve did. Surrounded by all they needed, they set their eyes on the one thing they couldn’t have.
The followers of Moses did. They could’ve focused on the miracles, but instead they focused on their problems.
What are you looking at? The one fruit you can’t eat? Or the million you can? The manna or the misery?
Philippians 4:8 says “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, lovely, of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.”
Even the garden of Eden looks gray to some. But it needn’t to you. Jesus who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus! Give every day a chance!
From Great Day Every Day
James 5
New International Version (NIV)
Warning to Rich Oppressors
5 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.[a] 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.
Patience in Suffering
7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.
The Prayer of Faith
13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Psalm 131
A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. A psalm of David.
1 Lord, my heart isn't proud.
My eyes aren't proud either.
I don't concern myself with important matters.
I don't concern myself with things that are too wonderful for me.
2 I have made myself calm and content
like a young child in its mother's arms.
Deep down inside me, I am as content as a young child.
3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord
both now and forever.
Stop!
July 6, 2012 — by Joe Stowell
I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. —Psalm 131:2
Life is a busy enterprise. It seems there are always more things to do, places to go, and people to meet. And while none of us would want a life without meaningful things to do, the fast pace threatens to rob us of the quietness that we need.
When we’re driving a car, stop signs and other signs warning us to slow down are reminders that to be safe we can’t have our foot on the accelerator all the time. We need those kinds of reminders in all aspects of our lives.
The psalmist clearly knew the importance of times of calm and quiet. God Himself “rested” on the seventh day. And with more messages to preach and more people to heal, Jesus went apart from the crowds and rested a while (Matt. 14:13; Mark 6:31). He knew it wasn’t wise to accelerate through life with our gas gauge registering on “weary” all the time.
When was the last time you could echo the psalmist’s words, “I have calmed and quieted my soul”? (Ps. 131:2). Put up a stop sign at the intersection of your busy life. Find a place to be alone. Turn off the distractions that keep you from listening to God’s voice, and let Him speak to you as you read His Word. Let Him refresh your heart and mind with the strength to live life well for His glory.
Life can make me weary and stressed at times.
I want to stop right now though, Lord, and take the time
to quiet my soul before You. Speak to me from
Your Word. Please refresh me.
Stop and take a break from the busyness of life so that you can refuel your soul.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
July 6, 2012
Visions Become Reality
The parched ground shall become a pool . . . —Isaiah 35:7
We always have a vision of something before it actually becomes real to us. When we realize that the vision is real, but is not yet real in us, Satan comes to us with his temptations, and we are inclined to say that there is no point in even trying to continue. Instead of the vision becoming real to us, we have entered into a valley of humiliation.
Life is not as idle ore,
But iron dug from central gloom,
And battered by the shocks of doom
To shape and use.
God gives us a vision, and then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of that vision. It is in the valley that so many of us give up and faint. Every God-given vision will become real if we will only have patience. Just think of the enormous amount of free time God has! He is never in a hurry. Yet we are always in such a frantic hurry. While still in the light of the glory of the vision, we go right out to do things, but the vision is not yet real in us. God has to take us into the valley and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the point where He can trust us with the reality of the vision. Ever since God gave us the vision, He has been at work. He is getting us into the shape of the goal He has for us, and yet over and over again we try to escape from the Sculptor’s hand in an effort to batter ourselves into the shape of our own goal.
The vision that God gives is not some unattainable castle in the sky, but a vision of what God wants you to be down here. Allow the Potter to put you on His wheel and whirl you around as He desires. Then as surely as God is God, and you are you, you will turn out as an exact likeness of the vision. But don’t lose heart in the process. If you have ever had a vision from God, you may try as you will to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never allow it.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
The Bible Wears a Blindfold - #6650
Friday, July 6, 2012
Blindfolds have usually been a hindrance in my life. I mean, I think the first blindfold I ever remember having on was when I was little. I was at a birthday party and we were playing, you know, like Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Now, I've never been real coordinated, so you put a blindfold on me and spin me around a few times, I usually ended up pinning it on the hostess. Anyway, it's great to be the laughing stock at the birthday party.
Now, I got to be a teenager, they put me in this trust walk where my un-blindfolded friend was leading me around blindfolded through water, into walls, and into trees. And then even as a grownup at parties, all I know is that when they blindfold me I know I'm going to end up looking like the village idiot.
But blindfolds? They aren't always bad. I mean, think about that famous statue you can see at the Supreme Court. You remember Blind Justice? She's holding the scales of justice, upholding the law without being able to see faces, or expressions, or wardrobes, or appearances. Well you get a better verdict that way.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Bible Wears a Blindfold."
Now, our word for today from the Word of God. It comes from 2 Samuel 12:1. It follows after David, the king, has committed his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, and then his conspiracy to have her husband murdered and the conspiracy to cover that up. It says, "The Lord sent Nathan to David." Well, this is not going to be a very exciting mission, because it is the Prophet Nathan's job to confront the king, David.
He tells this parabolic story about a man who took a poor man's flock away from him, symbolizing what David had done. And then Nathan said to David in verse 7, "You are the man who did that. This is what the Lord God of Israel says, 'I anointed you king over Israel, I delivered you from the hand of Saul. The sword will never depart from your house because you despised Me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own."
Now, Nathan's got a tough assignment here. He has to impartially apply the laws of God to his friend, his king. The one called "the man after God's own heart" David. But like Blind Justice, the Bible makes no distinctions when it comes to God's standards. The Bible wears a blindfold.
I was discussing divorce and how the church should handle that with a pastor friend of mine, and I'm not going to begin to solve that issue here. But I did say to him, "You know, I had a feeling that if we just read the Bible and didn't know anybody, we'd have a pretty clear view of what God wants. Then someone we care about comes along and it kind of gets us confused about what the Bible says." And I told him, "I think the problems start when a verse gets a face."
That's true in a lot of areas. Today in Christian circles, we're accepting of so much more stuff - stuff that we wouldn't have touched like say ten years ago. Our sociology often decides more than our theology decides. Our culture decides more than our Christianity. We can only enjoy the full blessing of God if we insist on the high standards of God.
And I've got to tell you, it's tempting not to when there's a face - especially somebody you care about - in front of the verse. But it isn't really love to lower the standards of God to make some temporary situation more comfortable. Those standards are not there to destroy people; they are the path to personal happiness. No matter how it looks, we must apply the Biblical guidelines with gentleness, not judgment; with love, not legalism. But we cannot dilute the Word of God for any person, for any situation. Not even King David could get such a compromise.
To rightly represent a holy God in this anything-goes world, we have to always be sure of the Bible's ways of life and stand on those.
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