1 Kings 12 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: A Tiny Seed, A Tiny Deed

The Bible says, “Do not despise small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin!”

I see what others have done with their lives and before I even get started—I’m discouraged. What can I possibly do that God isn’t already doing through someone else?

Against a towering giant, a brook pebble seems futile. But God used it to topple Goliath. Compared to the tithes of the wealthy, a widow’s coins seem puny. But Jesus used them to inspire us all! Moses had a staff. David had a sling. Samson had a jawbone. Rahab had a string. Mary had some ointment. Dorcas had a needle. All were used by God.

What do you have? Much more than you might think!  God inhabits the tiny seed. He empowers the tiny deed! Never discount the smallness of your deeds!

From Grace for the Moment


1 Kings 12

The Northern Tribes Revolt

Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this, he returned from Egypt,[a] for he had fled to Egypt to escape from King Solomon. 3 The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel went to speak with Rehoboam. 4 “Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.”

5 Rehoboam replied, “Give me three days to think this over. Then come back for my answer.” So the people went away.

6 Then King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. “What is your advice?” he asked. “How should I answer these people?”

7 The older counselors replied, “If you are willing to be a servant to these people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects.”

8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers. 9 “What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?”

10 The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! 11 Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’”

12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Rehoboam’s decision, just as the king had ordered. 13 But Rehoboam spoke harshly to the people, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors 14 and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, “My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!”

15 So the king paid no attention to the people. This turn of events was the will of the Lord, for it fulfilled the Lord’s message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh.

16 When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded,

“Down with the dynasty of David!
    We have no interest in the son of Jesse.
Back to your homes, O Israel!
    Look out for your own house, O David!”
So the people of Israel returned home. 17 But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.

18 King Rehoboam sent Adoniram,[b] who was in charge of forced labor, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. 19 And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David.

20 When the people of Israel learned of Jeroboam’s return from Egypt, they called an assembly and made him king over all Israel. So only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the family of David.

Shemaiah’s Prophecy
21 When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—180,000 select troops—to fight against the men of Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself.

22 But God said to Shemaiah, the man of God, 23 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the people of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 24 ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not fight against your relatives, the Israelites. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!’” So they obeyed the message of the Lord and went home, as the Lord had commanded.

Jeroboam Makes Gold Calves
25 Jeroboam then built up the city of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and it became his capital. Later he went and built up the town of Peniel.[c]

26 Jeroboam thought to himself, “Unless I am careful, the kingdom will return to the dynasty of David. 27 When these people go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the Lord, they will again give their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and make him their king instead.”

28 So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people,[d] “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!”

29 He placed these calf idols in Bethel and in Dan—at either end of his kingdom. 30 But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there.

31 Jeroboam also erected buildings at the pagan shrines and ordained priests from the common people—those who were not from the priestly tribe of Levi. 32 And Jeroboam instituted a religious festival in Bethel, held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month,[e] in imitation of the annual Festival of Shelters in Judah. There at Bethel he himself offered sacrifices to the calves he had made, and he appointed priests for the pagan shrines he had made. 33 So on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a day that he himself had designated, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar at Bethel. He instituted a religious festival for Israel, and he went up to the altar to burn incense.

Footnotes:

12:2 As in Greek version and Latin Vulgate (see also 2 Chr 10:2); Hebrew reads he lived in Egypt.
12:18 As in some Greek manuscripts and Syriac version (see also 4:6; 5:14); Hebrew reads Adoram.
12:25 Hebrew Penuel, a variant spelling of Peniel.
12:28 Hebrew to them.
12:32 This day of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late October or early November, exactly one month after the annual Festival of Shelters in Judah (see Lev 23:34).

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Friday, December 18, 2015

Read: Psalm 139:7-12

I can never escape from your Spirit!
    I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
    if I go down to the grave,[a] you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
    if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
    and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
    and the light around me to become night—
12     but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
    Darkness and light are the same to you.
Footnotes:

139:8 Hebrew to Sheol.
INSIGHT:
In Psalm 139 David invites us to meditate on who God is and how that affects us personally. David is perplexed by God’s omniscience—that He knows everything about him (vv. 1-4). He is assured by God’s omnipresence—that He is ever-present and will never leave or forsake him (vv. 5-12). And he is overwhelmed by His omnipotence—that He is the all-powerful Creator who created him (vv. 13-18). In today’s reading (vv. 7-12), David speaks of a God who is always there to lead, hold, and protect him. There is no place where he is beyond His care, and even before he was conceived God showed His love for him (vv. 13-16). Mindful of all this, David prayed a prayer of loyalty and commitment (vv. 23-24).

Reaching Out in the Darkness
By David Roper

The night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

Psalm 139:12

Our old dog—a West Highland white terrier—sleeps curled up at the foot of our bed. That’s been her place for 13 years.

Normally she doesn’t move or make a sound, but lately she’s been pawing us gently in the middle of the night. At first we thought she wanted to go outside, so we tried to accommodate her. But we realized she just wants to know we are there. She’s nearly deaf and partially blind now. She can’t see in the darkness and can’t hear us move or breathe. Naturally, she gets confused and reaches out for reassurance. So I just reach down and pat her on the head to assure her that I’m there. That’s all she wants to know. She takes a turn or two, settles down, and goes back to sleep.

“Where can I flee from your presence?” David asked God (Ps. 139:7). David took this as an immense comfort. “If I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,” he noted. “Even the darkness will not be dark to you” (vv. 9-12).

Lost in darkness? Grieving, fearful, guilty, doubting, discouraged? Not sure of God? The darkness is not dark to Him. Though unseen, He is at hand. He has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). Reach out your hand for His. He is there.

Lord, You promised never to leave us or forsake us. We know Your word is true, but so often we see the obstacles and the challenges and lose sight of You. Help us today to see more of You and less of our problems.

Dark fears flee in the light of God’s presence.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, December 18, 2015

Test of Faithfulness

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God… —Romans 8:28

It is only a faithful person who truly believes that God sovereignly controls his circumstances. We take our circumstances for granted, saying God is in control, but not really believing it. We act as if the things that happen were completely controlled by people. To be faithful in every circumstance means that we have only one loyalty, or object of our faith— the Lord Jesus Christ. God may cause our circumstances to suddenly fall apart, which may bring the realization of our unfaithfulness to Him for not recognizing that He had ordained the situation. We never saw what He was trying to accomplish, and that exact event will never be repeated in our life. This is where the test of our faithfulness comes. If we will just learn to worship God even during the difficult circumstances, He will change them for the better very quickly if He so chooses.

Being faithful to Jesus Christ is the most difficult thing we try to do today. We will be faithful to our work, to serving others, or to anything else; just don’t ask us to be faithful to Jesus Christ. Many Christians become very impatient when we talk about faithfulness to Jesus. Our Lord is dethroned more deliberately by Christian workers than by the world. We treat God as if He were a machine designed only to bless us, and we think of Jesus as just another one of the workers.

The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through us. God calls us to His service and places tremendous responsibilities on us. He expects no complaining on our part and offers no explanation on His part. God wants to use us as He used His own Son.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

When we no longer seek God for His blessings, we have time to seek Him for Himself.  The Moral Foundations of Life, 728 L


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, December 18, 2015

Packing Up Christmas - #7550

Right after Thanksgiving I'm in my annual pilgrimage to the Christmas corner of our garage. I did it last year, and I brought out Christmas. Now, we've been accumulating ornaments and decorations for a lot of years now, and it's always a big deal for the family when they make their annual re-entry; all those decorations come back into our life again and all the memories. The house is actually alive with Christmas. Well, I mean for a while. But before very long, I'll reverse the exercise, repack everything in their aging boxes, and put them back in storage for another year.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Packing up Christmas."

Now, we unpack Christmas when we want it and we put Christmas away when we don't want it. You can do that with Christmas. You can't do that with Christ, although a lot of people try to. See, we haul out Jesus when we'd like to have Him be a part of things: on Sundays, certainly for Christmas, when we're in a jam, when we want to be religious. But, to be honest, we keep Him largely at the edges of our life, mostly in our head, not really in our heart.

Well, you just can't do it that way. That's clear even from the angels' birth announcement that first Christmas. It's recorded in Luke 2:10-11, our word for today from the Word of God. "The angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.'"

See, you and I don't get to decide how we relate to the Son of God. He has announced the terms of having Him in your life. First, He's the Savior. Today, we would call that a rescuer, like those brave police and firefighters who went right into the holocaust at Ground Zero to try to bring people out. When the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center collapsed, the only hope for people trapped in the rubble was a rescuer. Often we don't realize that our spiritual situation is just that deadly.

The Bible says we're trapped in the rubble of our choice to run our life our way instead of God's way. This rebellion against our Creator...well, it can't be redeemed by any religion in the world; only by Jesus, only by the Rescuer God sent to pay for our sin with His life. He's the only Rescuer there is. Sin's death penalty can only be paid by someone dying, and Jesus did that so you don't have to. But you have to grab Him with all the faith you've got like a dying person would grab a rescuer.

Now, the angels also announced that Jesus was "Christ the Lord." Now, that means He's the One who controls everything. Maybe you've been trying to have Jesus be a passenger in your life; a life that actually you're driving but He can ride along. No deal. He's Christ the Lord. He doesn't ride, He drives. And maybe today is your day to finally move out of that driver's seat and turn it over to the One it was made for in the first place.

I'm praying this Christmas might be for someone who's listening right now, your first real Christmas – the first Christmas with Christ in your heart. Not just in your head, in your heart. Not just on the edges, but in the center of your life. Don't you want to belong to this Jesus? He loves you so much! Then tell Him right now, "Jesus, I am Yours from this moment on. You came here to pay for people's sin, and I've got sin that needed to be paid for. Thank You for paying the price so I don't have to. I want to belong to You today, Jesus, and I want to belong to You forever."

See, because He's alive, because He walked out of His grave after He died for you, He can walk right into your life upon your invitation. What a day this would be right here in the season we celebrate His coming to this world He could come into your life. Tell Him that today; pray that to Him today.

And please go to our website. It's there to help you get started this very day. It's called ANewStory.com, and that's the right name for it because this could be the fist page of your new story. You want to talk with someone? Well, then, text us at 442-244-WORD.

Maybe you've known a lot about Jesus. Well, beginning this very day, you can finally know Jesus for real. This could be your personal Jesus-day.

Acts 10:24-48 bible reading and devotionals.

Max Lucado: No Box Works

Boxes bring wonderful order to our life.  They keep cereal from spilling and books from tumbling.  When it comes to containing stuff, boxes are masterful.  But when it comes to defining Christ, no box works.

Oh, his contemporaries tried.  They designed an assortment of boxes.  But he never fit any of them.  They labeled him a revolutionary; then he paid his taxes.  They labeled him a country carpenter, but he confounded the scholars.  He defied easy definitions.

We still try.  I once reduced Christ to a handful of doctrines.  He was a recipe, and I had the ingredients.  Mix them correctly, and the Jesus-of-my-making would appear.

Jesus blew the sides out of all misconceptions.

Acts 10:24-48
New International Version (NIV)
24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

27 While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

30 Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues[a] and praising God.

Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion 

Read: Colossians 3:1-12

Rules for Holy Living

 1 You have been raised up with Christ. So think about things that are in heaven. That is where Christ is. He is sitting at God's right hand. 2 Think about things that are in heaven. Don't think about things that are on earth.
 3 You died. Now your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 Christ is your life. When he appears again, you also will appear with him in heaven's glory.

 5 So put to death anything that belongs to your earthly nature. Get rid of your sexual sins and unclean acts. Don't let your feelings get out of control. Remove from your life all evil longings. Stop always wanting more and more. You might as well be worshiping statues of gods. 6 God's anger is going to come because of those things. 7 That's the way you lived at one time in your life.

 8 But now here are the kinds of things you must get rid of. You must put away anger, rage, hate and lies. Let no dirty words come out of your mouths. 9 Don't lie to each other.

   You have gotten rid of your old way of life and its habits. 10 You have started living a new life. It is being made new so that what you know has the Creator's likeness.

 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew. There is no difference between those who are circumcised and those who are not. There is no rude outsider, or even a Scythian. There is no slave or free person. But Christ is everything. And he is in everything.

 12 You are God's chosen people. You are holy and dearly loved. So put on tender mercy and kindness as if they were your clothes. Don't be proud. Be gentle and patient.

Winning And Losing

June 1, 2012 — by David C. McCasland

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. —Colossians 3:2

The Masters Tournament is one of the most prestigious in professional golf. In 2009, Kenny Perry placed second after leading during the final round. Writing in The New York Times, Bill Pennington described Perry as “disappointed but not despondent” after the loss. “I’ll look back on it occasionally and wonder what I might have done differently, but I won’t dwell on it,” Perry said. “If this is the worst thing that happens in my life, I’ve got it pretty good. I won’t let it dog me. There are so many other things in life that matter more . . . . I’ll go home tonight with my family and we’ll have fun.”

The ability to look beyond our disappointments is essential for followers of Christ. Our focus determines how we face the victories and defeats in life. “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1-2). This way of thinking looks to Christ, rather than our achievements, for significance and validation. We seek Him, not success.

When we strive for excellence and give our best effort, losing hurts, but it doesn’t have to harm us. The key is where we set our minds and hearts.

Lord, thank You that You are the one who measures
how we’ve done in life and determines
whether we’ve been successful. Help us to keep that
focus even in disappointments.
When Christ is the center of your focus, everything else comes into proper perspective.



My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 1, 2012

The Staggering Question

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

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

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

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


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Long Wait for a New Heart - #6625

Friday, June 1, 2012

The folks at the hospital asked my father-in-law if he'd like to donate his organs. He smiled and said, "Depends on how soon you want them." Great answer.

Someone somewhere decided to donate their heart if something happened to them. Today, that heart is beating in the former Vice President of the United States, Dick Cheney. Doctors of course, had done everything else science can do to save and extend his life since his first heart attack at the age of 37 - stents, bypasses, an implanted defibrillator. But now, at age 71, his life probably depended on the ultimate solution - not a heart repair but a totally new heart.

Right now, there are probably 3,000 Americans whose lives depend on getting a new heart. Their average wait for one to become available is somewhere between six months and a year. Dick Cheney had to wait 20 months for his.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about a "Long Wait for a New Heart."

Every day - somewhere in the world - people are getting a new heart. Made possible by a donor who died. And the miracle-working skill of a master heart surgeon. I know Him. He performed that miracle on me - and on many of the people I love.

The Surgeon is God Himself. The donor? Well, that's Jesus. It took His dying for me to have the spiritual heart transplant that changed everything.

In our word today from the Word of God, Ezekiel 36 beginning in verse 25, God made a promise to all of us who know all too well the darkness that lives in our heart. He said, "I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols (all those things that push God to the edge). I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh...you will be My people, and I will be your God."

Just this weekend, a lady told me how her heart toward her husband had turned hard over the years of a difficult marriage. But then her face just lit up as she told me how Jesus had given her a "heart transplant" with a new love for her man - and a new marriage. Only the Master Heart Surgeon can do that.

One of God's prophets provided a revealing "spiritual EKG" of the heart behind all of our actions: "The heart is the most deceitful of all things and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9 - NLT). Out of our spiritually diseased hearts come words that scar people for life...betrayal of the person we committed our life to...unthinking selfishness...cancerous anger and bitterness...and all kinds of darkness that poison our relationships, our reputation and our future.

Oh, we try a lot of things to get better - just like they did with Dick Cheney's heart. But all our resolutions and religion are temporary and unsuccessful fixes. Because we need Dr. Jesus. But He had to die to make possible the new heart that's our only hope of living right - and dying right. God tells us that "the blood of Jesus His Son purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). And that happens, not through being reformed, but by being transformed. From the inside out.

That's the miracle that takes place when you recognize that Jesus - the Man who died for your sin and then birthed eternal life by walking out of His grave - is your only hope. And you tell Him that. When you put yourself in the hands of Dr. Jesus, He, in essence, implants a new spiritual heart. With a love you never had before. A power to be the kind of person you've always wanted to be - and those you love need you to be. An ability to forgive, to break bondages, to heal broken relationships.

When you have Jesus in you, He produces a new life you could never do on your own. And because He removes the guilt and penalty of every sin you've ever committed, He changes your destiny from hell to heaven.

Jesus' new heart miracle can save a marriage, a family, a future, a soul. He did the dying so we would never have to. And there's no wait for your new heart. He's been waiting for you to call.

If you want to experience for yourself what a personal relationship with Jesus can do, tell Him you want to begin that today, and would you go check out how to get started with Him at our website, YoursForLife.net. And let the new heart miracle begin for you, today.

Ecclesiastes 12, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: God Sent a Savior

Every Christmas I read this reminder that came in the mail several years ago.
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator.
If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.
But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior!
Christmas cards-these punctuated promises! Phrases filled with the reason we do it all anyway. He became like us, so we could become like him. Angels still sing and the star still beckons. Isaiah 9:6 proclaims, "God has given a son to us. His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God. Prince of Peace. Ahh…the wonder of it all is that He loves each one of us like there was only one of us to love!
From Grace for the Moment

Ecclesiastes 12

Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” 2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly.

4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.

5 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.

6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7 For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Concluding Thoughts about the Teacher
8 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless.”

9 Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. 10 The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly.[f]

11 The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd[g] drives the sheep.

12 But, my child,[h] let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.

13 That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 14 God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

Footnotes:
12:10 Or sought to write what was upright and true.
12:11 Or one shepherd.
12:12 Hebrew my son.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Read: Exodus 20:1-7

Ten Commandments for the Covenant Community

Then God gave the people all these instructions[a]:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

3 “You must not have any other god but me.

4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those[b] who love me and obey my commands.

7 “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

Footnotes:
20:1 Hebrew all these words.
20:6 Hebrew for thousands of those.

INSIGHT:
The Ten Commandments are divided into two sections—vertical and horizontal. The first section (Ex. 20:1-11) deals with the response of the people to God (vertical). These laws have to do with God’s exclusive right to worship, an admonition against idols, honoring God’s name, and setting aside the Sabbath for worship. The remaining commands (vv. 12-17) deal with how we relate to one another (horizontal). This includes honoring parents, life, and marriage; respecting the property of others; being truth-speakers; and not coveting what isn’t ours. This two-fold set of instructions mirrors the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:37-40), which calls us to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Both vertical and horizontal elements are again in view in this commandment.

Holy Is Your Name
By Randy Kilgore

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Exodus 20:7

One afternoon I was having a discussion with a friend I considered my spiritual mentor about misusing God’s name. “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God,” says the third commandment (Ex. 20:7). We may think this only refers to attaching God’s name to a swear word or using His name flippantly or irreverently. But my mentor rarely missed an opportunity to teach me about real faith. He challenged me to think about other ways we profane God’s name.

When I reject the advice of others and say, “God told me to go this way,” I misuse His name if all I am doing is seeking approval for my own desires.

When I use Scripture out of context to try to support an idea I want to be true, I am using God’s name in vain.

When I teach, write, or speak from Scripture carelessly, I misuse His name.

Author John Piper offers this reflection on what it means to take God’s name in vain: “The idea is . . . ‘don’t empty the name.’ . . . Don’t empty God of His weight and glory.” We misuse His name, Piper says, when we “speak of God in a way that empties Him of His significance.”

My friend challenged me to honor God’s name and to pay closer attention to using His Word carefully and accurately. Anything less dishonors Him.

Heavenly Father, help me to glorify Your name and to honor You always in what I say and do.


Share this prayer from our Facebook page with your friends: facebook.com/ourdailybread

God’s name: handle with care.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, December 16, 2015


Wrestling Before God

Take up the whole armor of God…praying always… —Ephesians 6:13,18

You must learn to wrestle against the things that hinder your communication with God, and wrestle in prayer for other people; but to wrestle with God in prayer is unscriptural. If you ever do wrestle with God, you will be crippled for the rest of your life. If you grab hold of God and wrestle with Him, as Jacob did, simply because He is working in a way that doesn’t meet with your approval, you force Him to put you out of joint (see Genesis 32:24-25). Don’t become a cripple by wrestling with the ways of God, but be someone who wrestles before God with the things of this world, because “we are more than conquerors through Him…” (Romans 8:37). Wrestling before God makes an impact in His kingdom. If you ask me to pray for you, and I am not complete in Christ, my prayer accomplishes nothing. But if I am complete in Christ, my prayer brings victory all the time. Prayer is effective only when there is completeness— “take up the whole armor of God….”

Always make a distinction between God’s perfect will and His permissive will, which He uses to accomplish His divine purpose for our lives. God’s perfect will is unchangeable. It is with His permissive will, or the various things that He allows into our lives, that we must wrestle before Him. It is our reaction to these things allowed by His permissive will that enables us to come to the point of seeing His perfect will for us. “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God…” (Romans 8:28)— to those who remain true to God’s perfect will— His calling in Christ Jesus. God’s permissive will is the testing He uses to reveal His true sons and daughters. We should not be spineless and automatically say, “Yes, it is the Lord’s will.” We don’t have to fight or wrestle with God, but we must wrestle before God with things. Beware of lazily giving up. Instead, put up a glorious fight and you will find yourself empowered with His strength.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

We should always choose our books as God chooses our friends, just a bit beyond us, so that we have to do our level best to keep up with them. Shade of His Hand, 1216 L


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Four Principles to Remember When Your Child is Far From Home - #7548

Not many parents can sleep very soundly until they know their children are in for the night. My wife and I always asked our big, teenage guys to stop by our room no matter how late it was and let us know they were home. Some of the most beautiful words in the English language to us were: "Mom, Dad, I'm home." Isn't it natural to want a 'fix' on where your kids are? Maybe you know a child who is way overdue.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Four Principles to Remember When Your Child is Far From Home."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Luke 7:12. "As Jesus approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out; the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, 'Don't cry.' Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still." This is really a dramatic moment. He said, "Young man, I say to you, 'Get up!'" The dead man sat up and began to talk. And Jesus gave him back to his Mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God."

Wow! That's a powerful story! And the most touching words of all for me are these, "And Jesus gave him back to his Mother." Did you know Jesus is still in the business of giving children back to their parents, even when it appears they'll never come back and when mom or dad feel hopeless? Maybe you or someone you know has a son or a daughter who's away right now; spiritually, emotionally, physically. My word of encouragement is this simple word from your Lord, He is still in the business of giving children back to their parents.

Here are four principles to remember when your child is far from home.

1. Most of God's work is invisible. Like plants getting ready to sprout and come out, and flowers blooming in the spring, we don't see anything happening all winter. It looks like nothing is going on under the ground. But God is at work all the time. Much of what God is doing to bring that child home, you can't see. But you'd better believe it's going on under the ground where you can't see it.

2. The hound of heaven – the Holy Spirit – pursues that child wherever he or she goes. They can get away from you; they can't get away from Him.

3. Open arms do far more than open mouths to bring kids home. Sometimes we can talk too much and push them so hard we actually push them away from the Lord we're trying to get them to come to. The Father of the prodigal son didn't chase his son. He just kept his arms open for him to come home.

4. Remember that God does answer prayer. Release that child again to the Lord. Give him back to the One who gave him to you. Don't try to do God's job of changing that child's heart. It's your job to love them; it's God's job to change them.

Continue to claim that child for Jesus Christ. And claim this promise which many a parent should stand on probably. Galatians 6:9, "Do not be weary in well doing, for in due season you will reap if you do not give up!" Jesus is still in the business of bringing kids home to their parents. And more importantly, home to Him. Because of His love, I believe one day you will hear, "Mom, Dad, I'm home."

Ecclesiastes 11, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: A Fire Burning

I wish I could say it's forgiven and forgotten-but it isn't. As much as I've tried-all I feel is the anger and the bitterness.
Without forgiveness, bitterness is all that's left! Maybe it's an old wound. A parent abused you. A mate betrayed you. And you are angry. Perhaps the wound is fresh. The friend who owes you money just drove by in a new car.  The boss who hired you with promises of promotions has forgotten how to pronounce your name. And you are hurt! There is a fire burning in your heart. It's the fire of anger. And you are left with a decision. Do I get over it or get even? Do I let my hurts heal, or do I let hurt turn into hate? Proverbs 15:9 says, "The Lord hates what evil people do, but He loves those who do what is right."
From Grace for the Moment

Ecclesiastes 11
The Uncertainties of Life

Send your grain across the seas,
    and in time, profits will flow back to you.[b]
2 But divide your investments among many places,[c]
    for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.
3 When clouds are heavy, the rains come down.
    Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls.
4 Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
    If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb,[d] so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.

6 Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.

Advice for Young and Old
7 Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning.

8 When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless.

9 Young people,[e] it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. 10 So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless.

Footnotes:

11:1 Or Give generously, / for your gifts will return to you later. Hebrew reads Throw your bread on the waters, / for after many days you will find it again.
11:2 Hebrew among seven or even eight.
11:5 Some manuscripts read Just as you cannot understand how breath comes to a tiny baby in its mother’s womb.
11:9 Hebrew Young man.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Read: Numbers 4:17-32

 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 18 “Do not let the Kohathite clans be destroyed from among the Levites! 19 This is what you must do so they will live and not die when they approach the most sacred objects. Aaron and his sons must always go in with them and assign a specific duty or load to each person. 20 The Kohathites must never enter the sanctuary to look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die.”

Duties of the Gershonite Clan
21 And the Lord said to Moses, 22 “Record the names of the members of the clans and families of the Gershonite division of the tribe of Levi. 23 List all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the Tabernacle.

24 “These Gershonite clans will be responsible for general service and carrying loads. 25 They must carry the curtains of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle itself with its coverings, the outer covering of fine goatskin leather, and the curtain for the Tabernacle entrance. 26 They are also to carry the curtains for the courtyard walls that surround the Tabernacle and altar, the curtain across the courtyard entrance, the ropes, and all the equipment related to their use. The Gershonites are responsible for all these items. 27 Aaron and his sons will direct the Gershonites regarding all their duties, whether it involves moving the equipment or doing other work. They must assign the Gershonites responsibility for the loads they are to carry. 28 So these are the duties assigned to the Gershonite clans at the Tabernacle. They will be directly responsible to Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

Duties of the Merarite Clan
29 “Now record the names of the members of the clans and families of the Merarite division of the tribe of Levi. 30 List all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the Tabernacle.

31 “Their only duty at the Tabernacle will be to carry loads. They will carry the frames of the Tabernacle, the crossbars, the posts, and the bases; 32 also the posts for the courtyard walls with their bases, pegs, and ropes; and all the accessories and everything else related to their use. Assign the various loads to each man by name.

The Importance of How
By David McCasland

Assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. Numbers 4:19

While attending Bible college, my friend Charlie and I worked for a furniture store. We often made deliveries accompanied by an interior decorator who talked with the people who had purchased the furniture while we brought it from the truck into the house. Sometimes we had to carry the furniture up several flights of stairs in an apartment building. Charlie and I often wished we had the decorator’s job instead of ours!

During Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, three clans from the priestly tribe of Levi—the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites—were assigned the job of transporting the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). They put it up, took it down, and carried it to the next place, then repeated the process again and again. Their job description was simple: “Carry the things assigned to you” (see Num. 4:32).

All of us can choose our attitude toward the tasks we're given.
I wonder if these “custodians” ever envied the “clergymen” who offered sacrifices and incense using the holy articles in the sanctuary (vv. 4-5,15). That job must have looked much easier and more prestigious. But both assignments were important and came from the Lord.

Many times we don’t get to select the work we do. But all of us can choose our attitude toward the tasks we’re given. How we do the job God gives us is the measure of our service to Him.

Father in heaven, our work in life often causes us to wonder if we are accomplishing anything worthwhile. Give us eyes to see the importance of the tasks You have given us so that we may honor You by the way we do them.

Humble work becomes holy work when it’s done for God.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
“Approved to God”

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. —2 Timothy 2:15

If you cannot express yourself well on each of your beliefs, work and study until you can. If you don’t, other people may miss out on the blessings that come from knowing the truth. Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself clearly and understandably, and God will use that same explanation when you share it with someone else. But you must be willing to go through God’s winepress where the grapes are crushed. You must struggle, experiment, and rehearse your words to express God’s truth clearly. Then the time will come when that very expression will become God’s wine of strength to someone else. But if you are not diligent and say, “I’m not going to study and struggle to express this truth in my own words; I’ll just borrow my words from someone else,” then the words will be of no value to you or to others. Try to state to yourself what you believe to be the absolute truth of God, and you will be allowing God the opportunity to pass it on through you to someone else.

Always make it a practice to stir your own mind thoroughly to think through what you have easily believed. Your position is not really yours until you make it yours through suffering and study. The author or speaker from whom you learn the most is not the one who teaches you something you didn’t know before, but the one who helps you take a truth with which you have quietly struggled, give it expression, and speak it clearly and boldly.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

When we no longer seek God for His blessings, we have time to seek Him for Himself.  The Moral Foundations of Life, 728 L


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, December 15, 2015

We've had a lot of fun in our family listening to the audio and video recordings that I made when our kids were little. Then I get to listen to them and what they sounded like before they had much of a vocabulary and before their voices changed. Those are special memories. So is the recording of our wedding over thirty years ago. It's always a pretty tender time when my wife and I sit and listen to the day we made our lifetime vows to each other – happy tapes.

And then, there are not happy tapes. Like the ones of former President Richard Nixon after Watergate. The Watergate accusations flew back and forth without any fatal damage until an aid testified that the President had recordings of his oval office conversations. There was a big legal battle over releasing those tapes, but eventually the world heard the not very pretty things that were said behind closed doors. I wonder if President Nixon just forgot sometimes that the recorder was running, or if he thought no one would ever hear what he was saying. Wow, was he wrong!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Talk Is Not Cheap."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Matthew 12:34. Jesus said, "For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you."

Pretty sobering, huh? You show what your heart is full of by your words and then He says the divine tape recorder is always running. When you're on the phone, when you're angry, when you're whispering, when you're talking behind someone's back, when you think no one heard it, the recorder is running. And one day all of it will be played back in the presence of the living God. You talk about being without defense, wow, there it is, listening to yourself say it.

See, words really do matter. By your words you show what's in your heart. By your words you will be acquitted. By your words you will be condemned. Our words will be there to meet us when we stand before God; Encouraging words, God praising words, Christ sharing words, loving words. But also our careless words, our dirty words, our hurting words, those backstabbing words, angry ones, lying ones. If our words will be the measure of our judgment there are some steps we need to take now!

First, we need to realize we don't stand a chance before God's judgment without a Savior. The Savior – the only One who died for our sins. That would be Jesus. There are just too many words that have done too much damage. They are objective proof of the darkness that has been inside us called sin. The sin that God's one and only Son died to pay for. He paid the death penalty for all of it. If you've put all your trust in Him to be your personal sin-rescuer today, you will be forgiven once and for all.

But beyond that we need to listen to ourselves to ask God to help us hear what He hears in our words. It's time we join David in his prayer, "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3).

Ultimately the weight of our words should cause us to make Jesus Christ Lord of our tongue every new day, every hour. If we can win the words battle, we can win anything. But believe me, it takes the control of Jesus Christ himself to tame a runaway tongue. So, if you're judged by your words, if they are evidence of the sin and the darkness in your heart, the words that have hurt people, the angry words, the dirty words, the unforgiving words, the hurtful things, isn't it time to make the Savior who died on the cross your Savior? He died for all of that.

The only way to escape God's judgment is to accept the payment that He made when He took God's judgment for you on the cross. So today reach out to Him and say, "Jesus, I bring a lifetime of wrong, a lifetime of hurt and sin to You. I am yours beginning today." Go to our website. We'll help you find your start with Jesus. It's ANewStory.com. Or you can contact us at 442-244-WORD and text us there.

Talk is not cheap. It can be very expensive. The President of the United States was ultimately judged by his own words, and we will be too.

Ecclesiastes 10 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Taking No Chances

With God-chance is eliminated! God knows what's best! No struggle will come your way apart from his purpose, his presence and his permission. Isaiah 43:2 says, "when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you." What encouragement! You're never the victim of nature or the prey of fate. Chance is eliminated.
You are more than a weather vane whipped by the winds of fortune. Perish the thought! You live beneath the protective palm of a sovereign King who superintends every circumstance of your life, and delights in doing you good! Remember this! Nothing comes your way that has not first passed through the filter of God's love!
From Grace for the Moment

Ecclesiastes 10

As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink,
    so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.
2 A wise person chooses the right road;
    a fool takes the wrong one.
3 You can identify fools
    just by the way they walk down the street!
4 If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit!
    A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes.
The Ironies of Life
5 There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake 6 when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth. 7 I have even seen servants riding horseback like princes—and princes walking like servants!

8 When you dig a well,
    you might fall in.
When you demolish an old wall,
    you could be bitten by a snake.
9 When you work in a quarry,
    stones might fall and crush you.
When you chop wood,
    there is danger with each stroke of your ax.
10 Using a dull ax requires great strength,
    so sharpen the blade.
That’s the value of wisdom;
    it helps you succeed.
11 If a snake bites before you charm it,
    what’s the use of being a snake charmer?
12 Wise words bring approval,
    but fools are destroyed by their own words.
13 Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions,
    so their conclusions will be wicked madness;
14     they chatter on and on.
No one really knows what is going to happen;
    no one can predict the future.
15 Fools are so exhausted by a little work
    that they can’t even find their way home.
16 What sorrow for the land ruled by a servant,[a]
    the land whose leaders feast in the morning.
17 Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader
    and whose leaders feast at the proper time
    to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk.
18 Laziness leads to a sagging roof;
    idleness leads to a leaky house.
19 A party gives laughter,
    wine gives happiness,
    and money gives everything!
20 Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts.
    And don’t make fun of the powerful, even in your own bedroom.
For a little bird might deliver your message
    and tell them what you said.

Footnotes:

10:16 Or a child.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Monday, December 14, 2015

Read: Psalm 150

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heaven!
2 Praise him for his mighty works;
    praise his unequaled greatness!
3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;
    praise him with the lyre and harp!
4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
    praise him with strings and flutes!
5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
    praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

INSIGHT:
The last five psalms (146–150) are also known as Hallelujah psalms because each of them begins and ends with “Hallelujah” or “Praise the Lord.” The psalmist calls for “everything that has breath”—every living thing on earth and spiritual beings in the heavens—to worship God for what He has done (v. 6). We praise Him for “his acts of power” and for “his surpassing greatness” (v. 2). God deserves the full and joyous expression of our commitment and devotion, and we can praise Him exuberantly with singing and musical instruments (vv. 3-6).


Let’s Celebrate
By Marvin Williams

Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe.  Psalm 150:4

After Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan scored a goal against Germany in the 2014 World Cup, he and his teammates did a coordinated dance step. When Germany’s Miroslav Klose scored a few minutes later, he did a running front flip. “Soccer celebrations are so appealing because they reveal players’ personalities, values, and passions,” says Clint Mathis, who scored for the US at the 2002 World Cup.

In Psalm 150, the psalmist invites “everything that has breath” to celebrate and praise the Lord in many different ways. He suggests that we use trumpets and harps, stringed instruments and pipes, cymbals and dancing. He encourages us to creatively and passionately celebrate, honor, and adore the Lord. Because the Lord is great and has performed mighty acts on behalf of His people, He is worthy of all praise. These outward expressions of praise will come from an inner wellspring overflowing with gratitude to God. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord,” the psalmist declares (150:6).

Though we may celebrate the Lord in different ways (I’m not encouraging back flips in our worship services), our praise to God always needs to be expressive and meaningful. When we think about the Lord’s character and His mighty acts toward us, we cannot help but celebrate Him through our praise and worship.

How has this psalm challenged you to be more expressive in your praise to God? Spend some time thinking about the greatness of the Lord’s mighty works. Then give Him your praise.

Praise is the song of a soul set free.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, December 14, 2015

The Great Life

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled… —John 14:27

Whenever we experience something difficult in our personal life, we are tempted to blame God. But we are the ones in the wrong, not God. Blaming God is evidence that we are refusing to let go of some disobedience somewhere in our lives. But as soon as we let go, everything becomes as clear as daylight to us. As long as we try to serve two masters, ourselves and God, there will be difficulties combined with doubt and confusion. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. Once we get to that point, there is nothing easier than living the life of a saint. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes.

God’s mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, “as the world gives,” but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, wait until it does, or seek to find out why it is not coming. If you are acting on your own impulse, or out of a sense of the heroic, to be seen by others, the peace of Jesus will not exhibit itself. This shows no unity with God or confidence in Him. The spirit of simplicity, clarity, and unity is born through the Holy Spirit, not through your decisions. God counters our self-willed decisions with an appeal for simplicity and unity.

My questions arise whenever I cease to obey. When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God. But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

It is impossible to read too much, but always keep before you why you read. Remember that “the need to receive, recognize, and rely on the Holy Spirit” is before all else. Approved Unto God, 11 L

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, December 14, 2015

Men on the Edge - #7546

Suicide. It usually stuns those close to it. Hollywood has seen several suicides in the past years. A director that leaped from a bridge. Actors battling drugs and alcohol that had beaten the addiction. And others that were still battling until the addiction won. Families left crushed. Many people left asking that question that often defies an answer, "Why?" Well, we may never know.

And then there was that prominent official in the White House some years ago who committed suicide. A national news magazine turned the spotlight on a disturbing fact about too many men. They are, (And I've never forgotten these words) "wounded men with no place to bleed."

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Men on the Edge."

I know from years of walking through crises with many guys, that we men often stuff it rather than share it. We live with the lie that being strong means never showing weakness, never showing a soft or hurting heart, and always being in control of course.

So we bleed inside where there's nothing to stop the bleeding or treat the wound. The pressure builds like lava in a volcano. Or like a beach ball pushed farther and farther under the water. The farther down you push it, the higher it ultimately goes when it can't be held down anymore. Suddenly, often inexplicably, there's an explosion of anger or violence or depression, or self-destruction.

But the strongest man who ever lived offered us guys a better way. The shortest verse in the Bible – only two words, John 11:35, "Jesus wept" at a friend's grave. The Bible says, when He saw a crowd of hurting people, "He was moved with compassion because they were...like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36). I'm pretty sure He wasn't afraid to smile or laugh either. The children loved to sit on His lap, and I know my grandchildren don't want anything to do with grouches.

Jesus wasn't afraid to let His friends know He was really hurting. Just before what He knew was going to be His awful torture and crucifixion, He asked His main guys to be with Him in the garden. He told them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me" (Matthew 26:38). Though He was God in the flesh – the ultimate Man – He wasn't afraid to say He needed people.

So, wounded men do have a place to bleed. With the One who bled for them. As one high-powered enemy-turned-follower of Jesus said in our word for today from the Word of God in Galatians 2:20, He "loved me and gave Himself for me." We would be lost in this life and horribly lost forever if Jesus hadn't paid the price to cure our terminal spiritual cancer called sin.

Guys get what sin is. It means, "I've gotta drive. You ride, God, but I'm driving." That's spiritual hijacking. Controlling a life that was made by God and for God and taking it where we want it to go instead. Sadly, we're like my four-year-old grandson standing behind the wheel of his daddy's parked car. He was never meant to drive.

Neither were we. And if we do, we'll ultimately crash, taking people we love with us. That's why God lets a man run into something he can't fix, he can't change, or he can't control to show us we never really were in control. So we see that we're created to have the One who gave us our life running our life.

To be blunt, we need a Savior. We need Jesus. Not a religion. Jesus. We need Him to forgive all the junk of our life; to open up this closed and wounded heart. To give us the power to be the man we want to be; that we need to be. And to fill us with the exhilaration of living our life for the one cause that's worth everything a guy's got.

A man can totally trust himself to this Jesus, because anyone who loved you enough to die for you will never do you wrong. You ready to surrender the pain, the sin to the Man who died to fix us? Well, this could be your new beginning today.

You know, our website is there to help you make that new beginning. It's called ANewStory.com. I hope you'll go there right now as soon as you can today. Maybe it's time to talk with someone about what it means to belong to Jesus. Text us at 442-244-WORD.

No longer does your heart have to be lonely and hurting. You're not alone. You have a place to bleed. Remember, with the Man who bled for you.

Acts 10, Bible reading in daily devotionals

Max Lucado: Goodness and Mercy

God treats you the way one mother treated her young son, Timmy.  She didn’t like the idea of his walking to school alone.  But he was too grown-up to be seen with his mother.  She did her best to stay calm, quoting the 23rd Psalm to him every morning:

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

One day she asked a neighbor who walked with her daughter to follow Timmy to school, but to stay at a distance.  After several days Timmy’s little friend said, “Do you know that woman who follows us to school?  “Sure,” Timmy answered.  “That’s Shirley Goodnest and her daughter, Marcy.”  My mom reads about them every day in the 23rd Psalm  She says they will follow me all the days of my life.  So, I guess I better get used to them!

You will too.  God never sends you out alone!

Taken from Fearless

Acts 10:1-23
New International Version (NIV)

Cornelius Calls for Peter
10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa. 
Peter’s Vision 9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three[a] men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” 
21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”

22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Peter at Cornelius’s House
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. 

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Revelation 7:9-17
The Great Multitude in White Robes
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God, 
who sits on the throne, 
and to the Lamb.”

11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!” 
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes —who are they, and where did they come from?”

14 I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God 
    and serve him day and night in his temple; 
and he who sits on the throne 
    will shelter them with his presence. 
16 ‘Never again will they hunger;
    never again will they thirst. 
The sun will not beat down on them,’[a]
    nor any scorching heat. 
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne
    will be their shepherd; 
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[b] 
    ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[c]” 

The Gathering

May 28, 2012 — by David C. McCasland 

The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd [us] and lead [us] to living fountains of waters. —Revelation 7:17

During Oswald Chambers’ service as a YMCA chaplain in Egypt (1915–1917), he touched the lives of many soldiers who died in World War I. On November 6, 1916, Chambers wrote in his diary: “We have a letter from a New Zealand friend telling us that Ted Strack has been killed. And so Ted Strack has ‘gone to be with Jesus.’ That is just how he would have put it . . . . [He] was a rough beauty of nature and of grace, a fearless, loveable little saint. Thank God for every remembrance of him . . . . So they are gathering one by one.”

As we grieve the death of those we love, we cling to Jesus’ promise of life beyond the grave. The book of Revelation records John’s vision of a great multitude from every nation, tribe, and language gathered around God’s throne in heaven (7:9). The overarching truth of this passage is a glad, eternal reunion when “the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd [us] and lead [us] to living fountains of waters” (v.17).

The passing of every believer in Christ foreshadows the day when we will join them with the Lord. In our sadness today, we are hopeful as we see that “they are gathering one by one.”

Beyond the sunset, O glad reunionWith our dear loved ones who’ve gone before;In that fair homeland we’ll know no parting—Beyond the sunset forevermore. —BrockGoodbyes are the law of earth; reunions are the law of heaven.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
May 28, 2012

Unquestion Revelation

In that day you will ask Me nothing —John 16:23

When is “that day”? It is when the ascended Lord makes you one with the Father. “In that day” you will be one with the Father just as Jesus is, and He said, “In that day you will ask Me nothing.” Until the resurrection life of Jesus is fully exhibited in you, you have questions about many things. Then after a while you find that all your questions are gone— you don’t seem to have any left to ask. You have come to the point of total reliance on the resurrection life of Jesus, which brings you into complete oneness with the purpose of God. Are you living that life now? If not, why aren’t you?

“In that day” there may be any number of things still hidden to your understanding, but they will not come between your heart and God. “In that day you will ask Me nothing”— you will not need to ask, because you will be certain that God will reveal things in accordance with His will. The faith and peace of John 14:1 has become the real attitude of your heart, and there are no more questions to be asked. If anything is a mystery to you and is coming between you and God, never look for the explanation in your mind, but look for it in your spirit, your true inner nature— that is where the problem is. Once your inner spiritual nature is willing to submit to the life of Jesus, your understanding will be perfectly clear, and you will come to the place where there is no distance between the Father and you, His child, because the Lord has made you one. “In that day you will ask Me nothing.”

A Word With You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Do I Love Him This Much? - #6621 
Monday, May 28, 2012

It was one of the great showdowns of my life - over a jar of peanut butter. Yeah. See, I was in love with my now "bride" for two and a half years before we got married, and because I loved her I began to change some things before we got married. I lost some weight; I changed my schedule to make sure there was a little time for her in there. I changed my after shave because there was one she liked. I became interested in her friends. My love was steadily changing one area after another in my life, until the day we went grocery shopping together.

Yeah. See, there was tension over whether to buy the expensive name brand of various items which I wanted to do, or the less expensive store brand which she had been raised to do. Since it was going to be "our" money when we got married, it got to be pretty tense. It came to a head over uh... yeah, a jar of peanut butter. My name brand versus her store brand. Suddenly I had hit a wall in how far this love thing was going to go, and the line was what I wanted in my favorite foods. Fortunately, I ended up deciding that she was more important than peanut butter or soft drinks. But every important love reaches a test point, and it's surprising what the issue often is.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Do I Love Him This Much?"

Well, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Psalm 40 , and I'll begin reading at verse 1. It's David's personal testimony, "I waited patiently for the Lord" he says. "He turned to me; He heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God."

Now, David indicates here a very personal, very practical thing that the Lord changed when He came into his life. David says He changed my music. "He put a new song in my mouth; a hymn of praise to our God." Interestingly enough, that area of music is for many a major test of how much they love their Lord. Will I let Jesus affect my music...what I listen to?

Honestly, for many followers of Christ, that's the equivalent of the peanut butter test in my love for my wife. Do I love Jesus enough to let Him affect this - to let Him change my music? You say, "Come on, that's a teenage issue, right, that music stuff?" Not exclusively.

Music is one of the most powerful influences in our lives. It can make us feel romantic, or patriotic, or religious, sad. Music just drives in ideas. As one great composer said, "I loved music from being a young boy, because it bypasses the brain. It goes straight to the heart." That's true! Commercials use music all the time to drive messages into our head. See, if I'm going to live right, I've got to think right. And if I'm going to have to think right, I've got to get right input, which means I need to submit my music - this most powerful input - to the lordship of Christ. It doesn't matter if its country music, easy listening music, rock music, or rap music, whatever. The devil has planted his values in many styles of music. And honestly, it's often a separate compartment in many of our lives where we've put up a "No Trespassing" sign for Jesus. We say, "Well, that's just my entertainment." No! No, it's an important part of who you are. So important you won't let Jesus touch it.

He's looking at that locked closet and He's asking, "May I go in there? Didn't I die for that too?" Will you open up to the Lord this huge area of the music you listen to, who your music heroes are? Don't let it be an idol that He can't touch. Jesus is saying, "Let Me into your music."

Only you can answer the question that this raises, "Do I love Him this much?"