Genesis 41, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: God's Not Finished With You

Pick up a high school yearbook and read the "What I want to do" sentence under each picture. You'll get dizzy breathing the thin air of mountaintop visions. Ivy league school. Write books and live in Switzerland. Physician in a Third World country. Teach inner-city kids.
Yet, take the yearbook to a twentieth-year reunion and read the next chapter. Some dreams have come true, but many haven't. Changing direction in life is not tragic. Losing passion in life is. Convictions to change the world downgrade to commitments to pay the bills. Rather than make a difference, we make a salary. Rather than look outward, we look inward. And we don't like what we see.
Philippians 1:6 says, "God began doing a good work in you, and he will continue it until it is finished." May I spell out the message? God isn't finished with you yet!
From When God Whispers Your Name

Genesis 41

Pharaoh’s Dreams

When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, 2 when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. 3 After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. 4 And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

5 He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. 6 After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. 7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.

8 In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. 10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. 12 Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. 13 And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.”

14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.

15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

16 “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, 18 when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. 19 After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. 20 The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. 21 But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.

22 “In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. 23 After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me.”

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. 27 The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.

33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”

37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God[a]?”

39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
Joseph in Charge of Egypt

41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command,[b] and people shouted before him, “Make way[c]!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.” 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On,[d] to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. 48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.

50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. 51 Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh[e] and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” 52 The second son he named Ephraim[f] and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”

53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. 55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”

56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. 57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-7

Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica

You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were like young children[a] among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,
Footnotes:

    1 Thessalonians 2:7 Some manuscripts were gentle

Insight
Because of the severity of Paul’s words in battling false teachings and correcting sinful conduct, he often comes across as devoid of tenderness, gentleness, or compassion (1 Cor. 16:22; Gal. 1:8-9; Phil. 3:2; 2 Tim. 4:14-15; Titus 3:10). But there is a gentle and tender side of Paul that is equally evident in his letters (1 Cor. 2:3; 2 Cor. 10:1; Gal. 6:1; 2 Tim. 2:24-25). In 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8, Paul shows parental qualities such as gentleness and love. In verses 11-12, he encourages and comforts his spiritual children, urging them to live holy lives.

Tender Loving Care
By Dennis Fisher

We were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. —1 Thessalonians 2:7



Max runs a small farm as a hobby. Recently when he checked on the cows he is raising, he was surprised to see a newborn calf! When he bought the cattle, he had no idea one was pregnant. Sadly, the mother cow had complications and died shortly after her calf was born. Immediately, Max purchased some powdered milk so he could feed the calf from a bottle. “The calf thinks I’m its mother!” Max said.

The tender story of Max’s new role with the calf reminded me of how Paul likened himself to a caring mother in dealing with the believers at Thessalonica: “We were gentle among you,” he said, “just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children” (1 Thess. 2:7).

Paul adopted a nurturing attitude when teaching people. He knew believers needed the “milk of the word” for spiritual growth (1 Peter 2:2). But he also gave special attention to the concerns of those he cared for. “We dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,” Paul said, “encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” (1 Thess. 2:11-12 niv).

As we serve each other, may we serve with the tender loving care of our Savior, encouraging each other in our spiritual journey (Heb. 10:24).
Dear Lord, help me to be sensitive
and caring as I serve others.
Help me to love others tenderly as You
so tenderly love and care for me.
God pours His love into our hearts to flow out to others’ lives.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Thursday, July 03, 2014

The Concentration of Personal Sin

Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips . . . —Isaiah 6:5

When I come into the very presence of God, I do not realize that I am a sinner in an indefinite sense, but I suddenly realize and the focus of my attention is directed toward the concentration of sin in a particular area of my life. A person will easily say, “Oh yes, I know I am a sinner,” but when he comes into the presence of God he cannot get away with such a broad and indefinite statement. Our conviction is focused on our specific sin, and we realize, as Isaiah did, what we really are. This is always the sign that a person is in the presence of God. There is never any vague sense of sin, but a focusing on the concentration of sin in some specific, personal area of life. God begins by convicting us of the very thing to which His Spirit has directed our mind’s attention. If we will surrender, submitting to His conviction of that particular sin, He will lead us down to where He can reveal the vast underlying nature of sin. That is the way God always deals with us when we are consciously aware of His presence.

This experience of our attention being directed to our concentration of personal sin is true in everyone’s life, from the greatest of saints to the worst of sinners. When a person first begins climbing the ladder of experience, he might say, “I don’t know where I’ve gone wrong,” but the Spirit of God will point out some definite and specific thing to him. The effect of Isaiah’s vision of the holiness of the Lord was the directing of his attention to the fact that he was “a man of unclean lips.” “He touched my mouth with it, and said: ’Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged’ ” (Isaiah 6:7). The cleansing fire had to be applied where the sin had been concentrated.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Thursday, July 03, 2014

No License to Drive - #7169

One of the milestone days of any kid's life is the day they get their driver's license. It's usually cause for great excitement and celebrating. It's been about a century, I think, since I first got my driver's license for that horse and buggy. But not long ago, I was a teenager again, celebrating getting my license. No, I hadn't lost it. The law didn't take it away. No, my license had expired, and the motor vehicle department had mailed my renewal form when my wife and I were on the road during a time of extended ministry.
We'd been traveling to, as we always do during the summer, Native American reservations, reaching out to young Native people where they are. Once we returned home, we mailed the form in immediately, and of course the state responded with the usual governmental eye-blurring speed, many weeks later. Meanwhile I was one frustrated man. I like to drive, but I had to be a passenger for weeks. I kept getting in on the wrong side of the car. I had served very little time in the passenger's seat. But once I got past my initial pouting, I've got to say I assumed a different identity. I mean, there were some advantages to being a passenger. I never knew this before. I got a lot of work done when someone else was driving. I even got a little sleep that I probably shouldn't have gotten when I was driving.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "No License to Drive."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 2 Chronicles 20. We hear about King Jehoshaphat, a man who's used to driving, until the day several powerful armies formed an alliance and came against him with an overwhelming force. In fact, he is praying in verse 12, "O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."
There is a crisis here that Jehoshaphat's in, but there might be some issues here that you could relate to right now in your situation. Like how about this? No power to face it. Does that sound familiar? "A vast army"...You don't know what to do. Pretty bleak, except for one hope factor, "Our eyes are upon You."
In verse 15, God says, "This is what the Lord says to you. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours but God's." God is saying, "Move over, man. You've got no business driving right now. I'll drive." Here was a king that was used to driving. He's king, but he learned to be a passenger because of an overwhelming situation, and the result was an overwhelming victory.
Verse 29: "The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel." This isn't the first time the Lord took over an impossible battle and won it. Think about when David went against Goliath. David said, "The battle is the Lord's." The giant was bigger than David, but God was bigger than the giant.
Frankly, the outcome of your battle will depend on who's driving. Are you? See, most of us are control freaks. We insist on controlling what really matters to us. We insist on controlling who really matters to us. But spiritually, you and I were never meant to have a license to drive. That's what it means when you talk about the Lord Jesus Christ. He drives; we ride. He can't be our passenger. It seems so risky to let go of the wheel, doesn't it? I'll tell you what. It's a lot more risky to hang on to it. The battle is the Lord's.
The very essence of our broken relationship with God is that we've been driving the life that He was meant to. In the words of Scripture, speaking of Jesus, "All things were created by Him and for Him." You and I were created by Jesus. We were created for Him. We're supposed to be revolving our lives around Him. Instead, we have taken over the wheel and hijacked our life from the One who gave it to us, who we will face in judgment one day, except for the fact that Christ came to be the cure of this sin cancer by dying on the cross. And all of the years of rebellion and disobedience that have amounted to a death sentence for us.
That could be forgiven for you today if you turn over the wheel to Jesus. I would love to help you know how to get started with that. If you go to our website ANewStory.com, I think your new story could start today.
I had to be forced to give up driving by not having my license. But I learned one thing; a lot can get done when someone else is driving; especially when that someone is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 21:23-46, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Your Name on God's Hand

When I see a flock of sheep I see exactly that, a flock. A rabble of wool. I don't see a sheep. I see sheep. All alike. None different. But not so with the Shepherd. To him every sheep is different. Every face has a story.  John 10:3 says, "The sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name."
When we see a crowd, we see exactly that, a crowd. We see people, not persons. A herd of humans. But not so with the Shepherd. To him every face is different. Every face is a story. The Shepherd knows you. He knows your name. And he will never forget it.
God said in Isaiah 49:16, "I have written your name on my hand." Quite a thought isn't it? Your name on God's lips. My… could it be?
From When God Whispers Your Name

Matthew 21:23-46

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons

28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
The Parable of the Tenants

33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]?

43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”[b]

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
Footnotes:

    Matthew 21:42 Psalm 118:22,23
    Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts do not have verse 44.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Psalm 3

A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.

1 Lord, how many are my foes!
    How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me,
    “God will not deliver him.”[b]

3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
    my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4 I call out to the Lord,
    and he answers me from his holy mountain.

5 I lie down and sleep;
    I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
    assail me on every side.

7 Arise, Lord!
    Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
    break the teeth of the wicked.

8 From the Lord comes deliverance.
    May your blessing be on your people.
Footnotes:

    Psalm 3:1 In Hebrew texts 3:1-8 is numbered 3:2-9.
    Psalm 3:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 4 and 8.

Insight
Sometimes Scripture teaches us directly. The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7) is a great example of this. In other places we learn by example. Through the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, for instance, we learn to stand for God despite the consequences (Dan. 3).

The New Testament teaches us through the words of Paul and Peter to be anxious about nothing but to pray and to cast our cares on Him (Phil. 4:6; 1 Peter 5:7). Today's passage illustrates that principle by example. David, surrounded by trouble and enemies, prayed and then "lay down and slept." Then he "awoke, for the Lord sustained [him]" (Ps. 3:5). By praying to God about his cares and concerns, David was able to proclaim, "Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people" (v.8).

A Lesson In Worry
By Anne Cetas

Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! —Psalm 3:1

My friend handed me a tall glass of water and told me to hold it. The longer I held it, the heavier it felt. Finally my hand grew tired, and I had to put the glass down. “I’ve learned that worry can be like holding that glass,” she said. “The longer I worry about something, the more my fears weigh me down.”

King David knew about fear. His whole life had been turned upside down. His son Absalom had stolen the allegiance of the nation of Israel from him and was attempting to take the throne for himself. David didn’t know who was loyal to him and who was against him. His only option seemed to be to run. He said to his servants, “Make haste to depart, lest [Absalom] overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us” (2 Sam. 15:14).

In a psalm that David may have written while he was fleeing for his life, he wrote: “I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill” (Ps. 3:4). In the midst of his fear, David looked to the Lord. God showed him grace and restored him to the throne.

There are plenty of worries that can weigh us down. But as we release them into God’s strong hands, He will help us through our trials.
Thank You, Lord, that we do not have to be
weighed down by worry. Help us to place our
concerns in Your care so that
we do not fear tomorrow.
Worry is a burden that God never meant for us to bear.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, July 02, 2014

The Conditions of Discipleship

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also . . . . And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me . . . . So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple —Luke 14:26-27, 33

If the closest relationships of a disciple’s life conflict with the claims of Jesus Christ, then our Lord requires instant obedience to Himself. Discipleship means personal, passionate devotion to a Person— our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a vast difference between devotion to a person and devotion to principles or to a cause. Our Lord never proclaimed a cause— He proclaimed personal devotion to Himself. To be a disciple is to be a devoted bondservant motivated by love for the Lord Jesus. Many of us who call ourselves Christians are not truly devoted to Jesus Christ. No one on earth has this passionate love for the Lord Jesus unless the Holy Spirit has given it to him. We may admire, respect, and revere Him, but we cannot love Him on our own. The only One who truly loves the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit, and it is He who has “poured out in our hearts” the very “love of God” (Romans 5:5). Whenever the Holy Spirit sees an opportunity to glorify Jesus through you, He will take your entire being and set you ablaze with glowing devotion to Jesus Christ.

The Christian life is a life characterized by true and spontaneous creativity. Consequently, a disciple is subject to the same charge that was leveled against Jesus Christ, namely, the charge of inconsistency. But Jesus Christ was always consistent in His relationship to God, and a Christian must be consistent in his relationship to the life of the Son of God in him, not consistent to strict, unyielding doctrines. People pour themselves into their own doctrines, and God has to blast them out of their preconceived ideas before they can become devoted to Jesus Christ.

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Answer Begins With an "R" - #7168

Let's face it. I was overweight. I was! I was 210 pounds by high school at 5'8". Now, how did that happen? Well, I'm blaming it on a cowboy hero of that day. Yes, it was Hopalong Cassidy's fault.
Now, you may not know who that was, depending on how old you are. He was a cowboy hero. He was my hero, and I had this plate that my parents bought me. It was a Hopalong Cassidy plate. He was sitting on his big white horse and here's what it said on the plate: "Congratulations, partner! You've cleaned your plate." Well, that motivated me. I mean, if it made Hoppy proud of me, I would clean my plate two, three, four, five, six times a day. So if it weren't for Hopalong Cassidy, I wouldn't have been fat, right? You're going, "Nice try, Ron."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Answer Begins With an 'R.'"
Now, I need to explain that. So our word for today from the Word of God comes from Luke 15. I'm going to begin reading at verse 17 - the story of the Prodigal Son. It's the young man, as you remember, who took his inheritance early, left his dad and his brother and his home, and went and squandered it on riotous living. And he ended up feeding pigs; totally abandoned by everybody.
Here's what it says in verse 17, "And when he came to himself, he said, 'How many hired servants of my Father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger. I will arise and go to my Father. I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.'"
Now, it's almost as if this young man had a list of people he could blame for his predicament. "Oh, it's my Father. No, if you knew my brother. It's his fault I'm like this. Boy, what a pain my brother is. Oh, it's my friends. Man, as soon as I ran out of money my friends all ran out on me." Or, "It's the economy. You know, we've got a famine going on right now. It's those politicians. It's their fault." No. You know what he finally says? He doesn't get an answer until he says, "No, I have sinned." In the words of the Bible, "He came to himself." Working his way down the list, he finally came to himself.
Ultimately he says, "You know whose fault it's broken? It's my fault." He discovered where the answer often begins for a problem. Answer begins with an 'R' for responsibility. That was the only way I could lose weight. There was no change as long as I was blaming somebody else. I couldn't blame my cowboy hero, or my metabolism, or my food temptations. "Ron, it's your fault." Well, that was the beginning of a solution. I could take responsibility for it.
Could it be today that you are faced with your own famine? It might be struggle in your family or some financial difficulties. Maybe you've got relationship problems. Maybe they're church problems, or you're going down the list of people to blame, "Oh, boy, if you knew my husband. If you knew my wife! Well, if you only knew my parents, or if you only knew my boss. My friends are... Oh, the..." Stop! Did you look in the mirror? What part of this could be your responsibility?
Our entire culture tries to shift responsibility, but there are no answers in passing the buck. If you want to make your marriage work, you quit focusing on what your spouse is doing wrong and you fix your part of it. If your child's doing things that concern you, don't just blame your child. Look in the mirror to see what needs you might not be meeting as a parent that could be causing the deeds.
How about your church? It's easy to complain and criticize. But why not work on making that part that involves you like you wish the whole church was like. If there's a corner of your life that isn't working, then step up to responsibility. Come to yourself. It's only your actions you can control. It's only your actions you'll be judged for. Get busy making your end of it as right as it can be. Seek forgiveness. Grant forgiveness. Clean up an attitude. Put other people first. Change your attitude; whatever it takes to make your part right. And know that in your Savior there is courage to face what you've been afraid to face, and there's grace to forgive the failures. And there's healing to fix what is broken.
Remember, the only road that leads to an answer is marked Responsibility. It's not my brother, it's not my sister, not my father, not my mother, but it's me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.

Matthew 25:31-46, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

 Max Lucado Daily: Growth of the Christian

Imagine you're selecting your food from a cafeteria line. You pick your salad, you choose your entrée, but when you get to the vegetables, you see a pan of something that turns your stomach.
"Yuck!  What's that?" you ask, pointing.
"Oh you don't want to know," replies an embarrassed server.
"Yes, I do."
"Well if you must.  It's a pan of pre-chewed food."
"What?"
"Some people prefer to swallow what others have chewed."
Repulsive? You bet. But widespread. More so than you might imagine. Not with cafeteria food, but with God's Word. Such Christians mean well. They listen well. But they discern little. They are content to swallow whatever they are told. No wonder they stop growing!
Are you learning to learn? Growth is the goal of the Christian. Maturity is mandatory. Hebrews 6:1 says, "Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity."
From When God Whispers Your Name

Matthew 25:31-46

The Sheep and the Goats

 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Isaiah 55:1-7
Invitation to the Thirsty

“Come, all you who are thirsty,
    come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
    and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
    listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
    my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
    a ruler and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not,
    and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has endowed you with splendor.”

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Insight
Isaiah 55 has rich words of hope for us in its first seven verses. Arguably, however, the chapter’s most familiar words are found in the next two verses: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (vv.8-9). These verses offer hope and assurance. God is in control and sees the big picture.

Just As I Am
By Anne Cetas

Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live. —Isaiah 55:3
Good memories flooded my mind as I sat in a concert. The group’s leader had just introduced the song they were about to sing: “Just As I Am.” I remembered how years ago at the end of his sermons my pastor would ask people to come forward while we sang that song, indicating they would like to receive the forgiveness Christ offers for their sins.

But the leader of the musical group at the concert suggested another occasion when we might sing this song. He commented that he likes to think that when he dies and goes to meet the Lord one day, he will sing in thanks to Him:

Just as I am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come!

Years before writing this song, Charlotte Elliott asked a minister how she might find the Lord. He told her, “Just come to Him as you are.” She did, and later during a discouraging time of illness, she wrote this hymn about the day she came to Christ and He forgave her sin.

In His Word, the Lord encourages us to seek Him: “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near” (Isa. 55:6). He calls to our hearts: “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters . . . . Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live” (vv.1,3).

Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can come to Him right now and will one day go into eternity to be with Him forever. Just as I am . . . I come!
Let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. —Revelation 22:17

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Thursday, July 31, 2014

Becoming Entirely His

Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing —James 1:4

Many of us appear to be all right in general, but there are still some areas in which we are careless and lazy; it is not a matter of sin, but the remnants of our carnal life that tend to make us careless. Carelessness is an insult to the Holy Spirit. We should have no carelessness about us either in the way we worship God, or even in the way we eat and drink.

Not only must our relationship to God be right, but the outward expression of that relationship must also be right. Ultimately, God will allow nothing to escape; every detail of our lives is under His scrutiny. God will bring us back in countless ways to the same point over and over again. And He never tires of bringing us back to that one point until we learn the lesson, because His purpose is to produce the finished product. It may be a problem arising from our impulsive nature, but again and again, with the most persistent patience, God has brought us back to that one particular point. Or the problem may be our idle and wandering thinking, or our independent nature and self-interest. Through this process, God is trying to impress upon us the one thing that is not entirely right in our lives.

We have been having a wonderful time in our studies over the revealed truth of God’s redemption, and our hearts are perfect toward Him. And His wonderful work in us makes us know that overall we are right with Him. “Let patience have its perfect work . . . .” The Holy Spirit speaking through James said, “Now let your patience become a finished product.” Beware of becoming careless over the small details of life and saying, “Oh, that will have to do for now.” Whatever it may be, God will point it out with persistence until we become entirely His.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Thursday, July 31, 2014

How to Defuse a Rebel at Your House - #7189

Bart Simpson has been around now for 25 years. He still looks like a kid, but he's been around for 25 years on TV. Maybe you've managed to avoid the Simpson family. You've probably been doing more important things, and it's perfectly fine, maybe even good if you've avoided them. But just in case you've been occupied in other ways, the Simpsons are this cartoon family that soared to popularity through their primetime TV show. And their lovely son? Oh, man, as they came on, he was all over posters, shirts, and mugs. You can still find him all over the place.
Frankly, it's a little disturbing to think that our children might want to be like Bart Simpson when they grow up - defiant, devious, trouble-maker, irreverent. Otherwise he's a pretty good fellow. It might be interesting to watch a Bart Simpson; it is not much fun to have one in your house.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "How to Defuse a Rebel at Your House."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Deuteronomy 6, and I'll begin reading at verse 20. It has a really powerful principle of parenting. It's addressed to people like you and me. You say, "Really? That long ago?" Yeah! They're raising children in a pagan environment and, in this case, the tempting land of Canaan. Their children are growing up easy come, easy go. They've got some stuff they didn't have to work for that's just been handed to them. They just took over all the Canaanite things, and they're trying to raise godly children in the middle of all of that. Sound familiar?
Deuteronomy 6:20, "In the future, when your son asks you, 'What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees, and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?' Tell him, 'We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us up out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes the Lord sent miraculous signs and wonders. He brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that He promised. The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.'"
This describes a scene where the children come up and basically ask that time-honored question, "Why?" And God says, "Give your children reasons for your beliefs, and your standards, and your rules." As parents, I think we too often communicate the truth without explaining why it's true. What are the benefits of doing what's right? Why is not an unreasonable question. Children who seldom get a why can grow up to be rebels. Rules without reasons raise rebels.
For example we teach our children that sex should be saved for marriage. "Why?" "It's wrong to have sex outside of marriage." That's why. Well, that's true. But let's give them some reasons too. Sex is most exciting when it's done God's way; when it's most special. When it's not soiled and dirtied by the fact that you're being compared with someone else they had sex with. There's no using when you keep it special for marriage. You protect its specialness. See, God's rules have reasons.
So should ours as parents; even our family rules. You don't just say, "Because I'm your Father, that's why. Because I say so." You can say that. God has given fathers authority in the home. You'll get immediate compliance, but as soon as they get a little freedom, they'll break every rule and they'll break your heart. So, think through your beliefs. Think through your boundaries. Take time to explain why these rules and boundaries work, why everything that God is against is because of something beautiful that He's for. Why these things are worth sacrificing for, and explain why so many people aren't living that way and where those roads go.
Our children need to see the principles underneath our pronouncements, the penalties of not believing or not obeying, and the payoff they get for doing what's right. Start today to prevent the birth of a rebel at your house by volunteering to answer one of life's most important questions, "Why?"

Genesis 39 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

 Max Lucado Daily: Succeed at Home First

Quiet heroes dot the landscape of our society. They don't make the headlines, but they do sew the hemlines and check the outlines and stand on the sidelines. You won't find their names on the Nobel Prize short list, but you'll find their names on the carpool, and Bible teacher lists. They are parents!  Heroes!  Their kids call them mom. Dad.  And these moms and dads, more valuable than all the executives and lawmakers, quietly hold the world together.
Be numbered among them. Read books to your kids. Play ball while you can and they want you to. Make it your aim to watch every game they play, read every story they write, hear every recital in which they perform. Children spell love with four letters:  T-I-M-E. Not just quality time, but hang time, downtime, anytime, all the time! Cherish the children who share your name. Succeed at home first!

From Dad Time

Genesis 39

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.

2 The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”

8 But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, 14 she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.

But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   

Read: 1 John 1

The Incarnation of the Word of Life

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[a] joy complete.
Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Footnotes:

    1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
    1 John 1:7 Or every

Insight
In today’s reading we see how God has provided a gracious means of cleansing us from our personal sins and reestablishing fellowship with God. It comes through confession of sin and redirecting our choices to the path of obedience (1 John 1:9).

The Big Comeback
By Bill Crowder

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. —1 John 1:9

Chad Pennington is a former American football player who has suffered multiple career-threatening injuries. Twice, his injuries forced him to endure surgery, months of physical therapy, and weeks of training to get back onto the field. Yet, both times he not only returned to playing but he also excelled at such a high level that he was named Comeback Player of the Year in the National Football League. For Pennington, his efforts were an expression of his determination to return to football.

Spiritually, when sin and failure break our relationship with God and sideline our service, determination alone is not what restores us to rightness with God and usefulness in His kingdom. When we are sidelined because of sin, the path to a comeback is confession as well. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

For us to be able to recover from our spiritual failings, we are absolutely dependent on the One who gave Himself for us. And that gives us hope. Christ, who died for us, loves us with an everlasting love and will respond with grace as we confess our faults to Him. Through confession, we can find His gracious restoration—the greatest of all comebacks.
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. —Elliott
Confession is the path that leads to restoration.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, June 30, 2014
Do It Now!

Agree with your adversary quickly . . . —Matthew 5:25

In this verse, Jesus Christ laid down a very important principle by saying, “Do what you know you must do— now. Do it quickly. If you don’t, an inevitable process will begin to work ’till you have paid the last penny’ (Matthew 5:26) in pain, agony, and distress.” God’s laws are unchangeable and there is no escape from them. The teachings of Jesus always penetrate right to the heart of our being.

Wanting to make sure that my adversary gives me all my rights is a natural thing. But Jesus says that it is a matter of inescapable and eternal importance to me that I pay my adversary what I owe him. From our Lord’s standpoint it doesn’t matter whether I am cheated or not, but what does matter is that I don’t cheat someone else. Am I insisting on having my own rights, or am I paying what I owe from Jesus Christ’s standpoint?

Do it quickly— bring yourself to judgment now. In moral and spiritual matters, you must act immediately. If you don’t, the inevitable, relentless process will begin to work. God is determined to have His child as pure, clean, and white as driven snow, and as long as there is disobedience in any point of His teaching, He will allow His Spirit to use whatever process it may take to bring us to obedience. The fact that we insist on proving that we are right is almost always a clear indication that we have some point of disobedience. No wonder the Spirit of God so strongly urges us to stay steadfastly in the light! (see John 3:19-21).

“Agree with your adversary quickly . . . .” Have you suddenly reached a certain place in your relationship with someone, only to find that you have anger in your heart? Confess it quickly— make it right before God. Be reconciled to that person— do it now!


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

The Life or Death Verb - #7166

Pete came to me with this very unusual request when we were freshmen in college together. He asked me who I thought were the five best girls to date in our class. (Just call me Dr. Love.) Well, I gave him my top five list; four of whom I had been out with on my mad "date them all" freshman rush.
The one on the list that I hadn't dated was this beautiful perky brunette. Well, after I gave Pete that list, I began to ask myself an obvious question, "Why haven't I dated her?" So I did, and I did it again, and again. In fact I still am. By the time we graduated, we were engaged to be married. Now, Pete was a New Englander, so he was a man of few words. He wrote only six words next to his picture in my senior yearbook: You believe in your product...Pete. Oh, yes I did! See, she and I got married one week later.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Life or Death Verb."
Now, my friend summed it up pretty well; I really believed in this girl. Not just intellectually. I mean, I believed in her with everything I had. Believe as in committing your whole life to. When it comes to God and where we spend the next hundred billion years, believe is the decisive action word. It's the life-or-death verb. Not in the official or intellectual sense like, "Pete, I believe this girl is a great catch for somebody." No, no! "I'm trusting my life to her."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Acts 16:30-31. A man is asking the great missionary, Paul, this timeless question, "What must I do to be saved?" Well, the answer is so clear and so unmistakable, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." Now obviously saved is a life-or-death word. Just ask the people who were saved from the rubble of the World Trade Center on December 11, 2001, or someone who was saved by an emergency medical team. If the rescuer saved you, you lived. If he didn't, you died.
Now, the kind of saving the Bible talks about is being rescued from the death penalty we are all under with God. Why? Well, the Bible says "all of us have wandered like sheep. We have turned each one to his own way." That's my way instead of God's way. And that is ultimate rebellion against the ultimate authority of the One who gave me my life to live for Him.
The death we suffer in this life is trying to make it without God's love, without God's peace, without God's purpose for our days. And if we die still away from Him, the penalty is what Jesus called hell. But that's where believing in Jesus comes in, because He's the only Rescuer, the only Savior that can keep you from dying spiritually. Because He died on the cross to bear all the guilt and the penalty of the sins we've committed. That's how much He loves you. But you've got to believe in the Lord Jesus if you're going to be saved.
You say, "Well, I believe in Jesus." But did you know you can have Him in your head but not in your heart? The Bible says in Romans 10:10, "It is with your heart that you believe and are justified." That means made right with God. Believe, like committing yourself in total trust to the One who died in your place.
Now, here's a question on which your eternity could depend, "Has there ever been a time in your life when you've told Jesus, 'I'm pinning all my hopes on You and what You did on the cross to rescue me from my sin.'" If there's never been a time like that, you're not saved. You're in eternal danger.
But that could change in the next few minutes if you would just reach out to this Savior that you've known about but never really known. If you want to know Him for sure, would you go to our website, ANewStory.com. It's time to make the Savior your Savior.
One day I walked into a church not married. I walked out married, because I believed in someone. You need a day like that; a day to commit yourself to the One who loves you the most-Jesus Christ. A day like today.

Matthew 21:1-22, bible reading and devotionals.

 

MaxLucado.com: Come and Drink

On  my list of things I wish I’d learned earlier, this truth hovers near the top.  Grace came my way packaged in a church.  Congregations and their leaders changed me.  But then the churches struggled, even divided.  Mature men acted less than that.  The box ripped, the faucet clogged, and my heart, for a time, sank.

Not a moment too soon, I heard the invitation of the still-running fountain.  “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.“  God describes himself as “the fountain of living water.”  (John 7:37-38).

Thank him for the faucets, but don’t trust them to nourish you.  Thank him for the boxes in which his gifts come, but don’t fail to open them.  And most of all, don’t fail to read the note:

Dear child of mine.  Are you thirsty?  Come and drink.  I delight in you.  I will never fail or forsake you!

From Come Thirsty

Matthew 21:1-22

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
    ‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”[a]
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna[b] to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[c]
“Hosanna[d] in the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Jesus at the Temple
12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[e] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’[f]”

14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants
    you, Lord, have called forth your praise’[g]?”
17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree
18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Footnotes:

Matthew 21:5 Zech. 9:9
Matthew 21:9 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15
Matthew 21:9 Psalm 118:25,26
Matthew 21:9 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15
Matthew 21:13 Isaiah 56:7
Matthew 21:13 Jer. 7:11
Matthew 21:16 Psalm 8:2 (see Septuagint)


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: 2 Peter 1:2-11

 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Confirming One’s Calling and Election
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Footnotes:

2 Peter 1:10 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.

Insight
God has given us everything we need for living a holy life (2 Peter 1:3). Therefore, Peter exhorts us to respond diligently to these great promises and abundant provisions of divine power (vv.4-5) by making every effort to grow in faith, graciousness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, devotedness, kindness, and love (vv.5-7).

Focus On The Process
By David C. McCasland

If these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. —2 Peter 1:8

In William Zinsser’s book On Writing Well, he says that many writers suffer from “the tyranny of the final product.” They are so concerned with selling their article or book, they neglect learning the process of how to think, plan, and organize. A jumbled manuscript, Zinsser believes, is produced when “the writer, his eye on the finish line, never gave enough thought to how to run the race.”

Author and minister A. W. Tozer applies that principle to our spiritual lives. In his book The Root of the Righteous, Tozer describes our tendency to be “concerned only with the fruit . . . [and] ignore the root out of which the fruit sprang.”

The apostle Peter reminded first-century believers that Christlike living and effective service result from a process. He urged them to grow in eight areas of spiritual development: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Peter 1:5-7). If you possess these qualities in increasing measure, Peter said, “you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v.8).

God calls us to a wonderful process of learning to know Him, with the assurance that it will lead to productive service in His name and for His honor.

Lord, so often we want complete and perfect
solutions here and now. But You work graciously in
Your good time. Let Your goodness and patience and
virtue shine through us so that we may bless others.
The Christian life is a process in which we learn complete dependence on God.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Sunday, June 29, 2014

The Strictest Discipline

If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell —Matthew 5:30
Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off his right hand, but that “if your right hand causes you to sin” in your walk with Him, then it is better to “cut it off.” There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but Jesus says that if it hinders you in following His precepts, then “cut it off.” The principle taught here is the strictest discipline or lesson that ever hit humankind.

When God changes you through regeneration, giving you new life through spiritual rebirth, your life initially has the characteristic of being maimed. There are a hundred and one things that you dare not do— things that would be sin for you, and would be recognized as sin by those who really know you. But the unspiritual people around you will say, “What’s so wrong with doing that? How absurd you are!” There has never yet been a saint who has not lived a maimed life initially. Yet it is better to enter into life maimed but lovely in God’s sight than to appear lovely to man’s eyes but lame to God’s. At first, Jesus Christ through His Spirit has to restrain you from doing a great many things that may be perfectly right for everyone else but not right for you. Yet, see that you don’t use your restrictions to criticize someone else.

The Christian life is a maimed life initially, but in Matthew 5:48 Jesus gave us the picture of a perfectly well-rounded life— “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Job 27, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: AS I HAVE LOVED YOU - June 28, 2021

The Greek word used for love—agape—denotes an unselfish affection. The final phrase is the essential one: “as I have loved you.” Have you let God love you? Please don’t hurry past the question.

We don’t love people because people are lovable. The truth is, people can be cranky, stubborn, selfish, and cruel. We love people for this reason: we have come to experience and believe the love that God has for us. We are beneficiaries of an unexpected, undeserved, yet undeniable gift — the love of God. And it is only by receiving our Father’s agape love that we can discover an agape love for others.

So be loved, and then love. Just as hurt people hurt people, loved people love people. So let God love you. This is how happiness happens.

Job 27

No Place to Hide

Having waited for Zophar, Job now resumed his defense:

“God-Alive! He’s denied me justice!
    God Almighty! He’s ruined my life!
But for as long as I draw breath,
    and for as long as God breathes life into me,
I refuse to say one word that isn’t true.
    I refuse to confess to any charge that’s false.
There is no way I’ll ever agree to your accusations.
    I’ll not deny my integrity even if it costs me my life.
I’m holding fast to my integrity and not loosening my grip—
    and, believe me, I’ll never regret it.

7-10 “Let my enemy be exposed as wicked!
    Let my adversary be proven guilty!
What hope do people without God have when life is cut short?
    when God puts an end to life?
Do you think God will listen to their cry for help
    when disaster hits?
What interest have they ever shown in the Almighty?
    Have they ever been known to pray before?

11-12 “I’ve given you a clear account of God in action,
    suppressed nothing regarding God Almighty.
The evidence is right before you. You can all see it for yourselves,
    so why do you keep talking nonsense?

13-23 “I’ll quote your own words back to you:

“‘This is how God treats the wicked,
    this is what evil people can expect from God Almighty:
Their children—all of them—will die violent deaths;
    they’ll never have enough bread to put on the table.
They’ll be wiped out by the plague,
    and none of the widows will shed a tear when they’re gone.
Even if they make a lot of money
    and are resplendent in the latest fashions,
It’s the good who will end up wearing the clothes
    and the decent who will divide up the money.
They build elaborate houses
    that won’t survive a single winter.
They go to bed wealthy
    and wake up poor.
Terrors pour in on them like flash floods—
    a tornado snatches them away in the middle of the night,
A cyclone sweeps them up—gone!
    Not a trace of them left, not even a footprint.
Catastrophes relentlessly pursue them;
    they run this way and that, but there’s no place to hide—
Pummeled by the weather,
    blown to smithereens by the storm.’”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion    
Monday, June 28, 2021
Read: Psalm 63

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
1 You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
    and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
    my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

6 On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help,
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

9 Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;
    they will go down to the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the sword
    and become food for jackals.

11 But the king will rejoice in God;
    all who swear by God will glory in him,
    while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Footnotes
Psalm 63:1 In Hebrew texts 63:1-11 is numbered 63:2-12.

INSIGHT
Readers of the book of Psalms will notice that the majority of the psalms (more than one hundred) include headers or superscriptions. While these aren’t part of the psalm itself, the information provided can often enhance one’s understanding of the psalm’s content. The header of Psalm 63 is a good example: “A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.” David, the Israelite king, is believed to be the author. The setting was when he was in the wilderness (v. 1) and a king (v. 11). Most likely, the occasion is when David fled to the wilderness from his rebellious son Absalom (2 Samuel 15:1–19:15). Though in the midst of an unimaginable situation, David expressed hope in God’s protection: “Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63:7–8).

By Monica La Rose God’s Protection

I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:7–8

Needles, milk, mushrooms, elevators, births, bees, and bees in blenders—these are just a fraction of the many phobias attributed to Mr. Adrian Monk, detective and title character of the TV show Monk. But when he and longtime rival Harold Krenshaw find themselves locked in a car trunk, Monk has a breakthrough that allows him to cross off at least one fear from his list—claustrophobia.

It’s while Monk and Harold are both panicking that the epiphany comes, abruptly interrupting Monk’s angst. “I think we’ve been looking at this the wrong way,” he tells Harold. “This trunk, these walls . . . they’re not closing in on us . . . they’re protecting us, really. They’re keeping the bad stuff out . . . germs, and snakes, and harmonicas.” Eyes widening, Harold sees what he means and whispers in wonder, “This trunk is our friend.”

In Psalm 63, it’s almost as if David has a similar epiphany. Despite being in a “dry and parched land,” when David remembers God’s power, glory, and love (vv. 1–3), it’s as if the desert transforms into a place of God’s care and protection. Like a baby bird hiding in the shelter of a mother’s wings, David finds that when he clings to God, even in that barren place, he can feast “as with the richest of foods” (v. 5), finding nourishment and strength in a love that “is better than life” (v. 3).

When have you experienced God’s care for you while you were in a difficult place? In what current struggles might you learn to “sing in the shadow of [God’s] wings”?

Loving Creator, Sustainer, and Nourisher, thank You for the miraculous way Your love seeps into my heart in even the most difficult places, transforming them into the shelter of Your wings.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, June 28, 2021
Held by the Grip of God

I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. —Philippians 3:12

Never choose to be a worker for God, but once God has placed His call on you, woe be to you if you “turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32). We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has “laid hold of” us. And once He has done so, we never have this thought, “Well, I’m really not suited for this.” What you are to preach is also determined by God, not by your own natural leanings or desires. Keep your soul steadfastly related to God, and remember that you are called not simply to convey your testimony but also to preach the gospel. Every Christian must testify to the truth of God, but when it comes to the call to preach, there must be the agonizing grip of God’s hand on you— your life is in the grip of God for that very purpose. How many of us are held like that?

Never water down the Word of God, but preach it in its undiluted sternness. There must be unflinching faithfulness to the Word of God, but when you come to personal dealings with others, remember who you are— you are not some special being created in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace.

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do…I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

We are not fundamentally free; external circumstances are not in our hands, they are in God’s hands, the one thing in which we are free is in our personal relationship to God. We are not responsible for the circumstances we are in, but we are responsible for the way we allow those circumstances to affect us; we can either allow them to get on top of us, or we can allow them to transform us into what God wants us to be.  Conformed to His Image, 354 L

Bible in a Year: Job 11-13; Acts 9:1-21

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, June 28, 2021

The Noise of Neglect - #8991

Okay, let's face it, I'm mechanically challenged. Now we've got that over with. I mean, I can take care of the basics on a car, but if it's beyond "A, B, C," I need outside help, I'm sorry. Sometimes your car starts talking to you, making those strange sounds, and doing strange things. I've noticed those things don't go away by themselves. Over time, those noises get louder; those strange things that it does come more often. Sometimes, it's just natural - just like us. You know, cars get old, parts start wearing out. But sometimes that noise and trouble can be avoided.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Noise of Neglect."

When you fail to maintain your car, you're neglecting that buggy, it's going to start making some strange noises. It's going to start doing some strange things. So do people; especially if the people is a woman who has committed her life to a man she married. If she starts making strange noises and doing some strange things, the cause may well be that silent destroyer called neglect.

Maybe there's a guy listening today who's been wondering, "What's the deal with my wife? She's becoming more stressed, more shrill, more negative, more hostile, more of a nag. Something's obviously wrong with the girl." Or maybe not. Maybe she's showing the signs of the neglect of a husband who promised his life for her but has little or no time for her, to really hear her heart - to find out where she's hurting inside, anxious inside, to find out what she really needs.

There are few things more heartbreaking and more hurtful to a woman than an inattentive husband. And even though I assume you love her, that inattentive, distracted husband might be you. And the malfunctions and strange sounds are really the result of your neglect.

God makes very clear the kind of treatment and priority He expects a man to give to the woman he married. In 1 Peter 3:7, our word for today from the Word of God, He says: "Husbands...be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." The New Living Translation says, "Give honor to your wives. Treat them with understanding as you live together."

Look at the action words: consider her - take her needs and her feelings into consideration. Treat her with respect. That means listening to her; regarding her as someone important. She's supposed to be the most important voice on earth to you. And some other voices might be drowning hers out. And treat her like a fellow-heir in God's family. We're talking royal treatment here. How much does this matter to God? He says if you don't treat her like this, don't expect Him to answer your prayers!

Could it be this woman you committed to cherish and honor is feeling ignored, marginalized and unheard? Maybe you've been trying to avoid conflict by not communicating with her on difficult subjects. All that does is postpone and intensify the conflict and leave her feeling frozen out. And it's getting harder for her to trust you.

It's in your power to change it, to put your wife back where you once had her, in the center of your affections, in the center of your attention. It begins by making it a commitment to give her all of you - your undivided attention - at least once a day. Don't let others push her out so she just gets your leftovers. She deserves your best. You promised.

The woman you married is a flower that can flourish with your care or wither with your neglect. She needs you. She was wired by God to need you. And you need her. Tell her that. Tell her you're sorry for so often running past her instead of running to her. And tell her, "Honey, I'm home," because you've been away too long.

Job 26, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

 Max Lucado Daily: Parents’ Number One Assignment

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.”

Straight teeth, straight A’s, or straight posture cannot hold a candle compared to placing a child on the straight spiritual path. The highest privilege and purpose you have as a parent is to lead your child in the way of Christ. The towering questions for Christian parents are these:

Do my kids know Christ?
Have they tasted His grace and found comfort at His cross?
Do they know their death is defeated and their hearts are empowered?

Parents, assignment number one is discipleship. Help your child walk in the way of the Master. What a phenomenal privilege is yours! Imagine the joy you will feel when you stand before Christ, flanked by your wife and children—when your child says, “Thanks, Dad.  Thanks for telling me about Christ.”

From Dad Time

Job 26

Job’s Defense
God Sets a Boundary Between Light and Darkness

Job answered:

“Well, you’ve certainly been a great help to a helpless man!
    You came to the rescue just in the nick of time!
What wonderful advice you’ve given to a mixed-up man!
    What amazing insights you’ve provided!
Where in the world did you learn all this?
    How did you become so inspired?

5-14 “All the buried dead are in torment,
    and all who’ve been drowned in the deep, deep sea.
Hell is ripped open before God,
    graveyards dug up and exposed.
He spreads the skies over unformed space,
    hangs the earth out in empty space.
He pours water into cumulus cloud-bags
    and the bags don’t burst.
He makes the moon wax and wane,
    putting it through its phases.
He draws the horizon out over the ocean,
    sets a boundary between light and darkness.
Thunder crashes and rumbles in the skies.
    Listen! It’s God raising his voice!
By his power he stills sea storms,
    by his wisdom he tames sea monsters.
With one breath he clears the sky,
    with one finger he crushes the sea serpent.
And this is only the beginning,
    a mere whisper of his rule.
    Whatever would we do if he really raised his voice!”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion    
Sunday, June 27, 2021

Read: Acts 9:36–42

 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

INSIGHT
Joppa was Judea’s primary port on the Mediterranean coast. After raising Dorcas from the dead, Peter stayed in Joppa in the house of Simon the tanner (Acts 9:43). While there, Peter went up on the roof to pray and saw a vision that reiterated that God’s salvation blessing is meant for gentiles too (10:9–16; 11:18). It was from Joppa that Jonah sailed for Tarshish instead of going to Nineveh to tell its citizens about God (Jonah 1:3). It’s significant that from Joppa God now calls Peter to go and proclaim the good news to the gentiles (Acts 10:24–48).

By Xochitl Dixon
Legacy of Kindness

All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. Acts 9:39

Martha served as a teacher’s aide at an elementary school for over thirty years. Every year, she saved money to buy new coats, scarves, and gloves for students in need. After she lost her fight with leukemia, we held a celebration of life service. In lieu of flowers, people donated hundreds of brand-new winter coats to the students she loved and served for decades. Many people shared stories about the countless ways Martha encouraged others with kind words and thoughtful deeds. Her fellow teachers honored her memory with an annual coat drive for three years after her life ended on this side of eternity. Her legacy of kindness still inspires others to generously serve those in need.

In Acts 9, the apostle Luke shares a story about Dorcas, a woman who was “always doing good and helping the poor” (v. 36). After she got sick and died, the grieving community urged Peter to visit. All the widows showed Peter how Dorcas had lived to serve (v. 39). In a miraculous act of compassion, Peter brought Dorcas back to life. The news of Dorcas’ resurrection spread, and “many people believed in the Lord” (v. 42). But it was Dorcas’ commitment to serving others in practical ways that touched the hearts in her community and revealed the power of loving generosity.

How can you love someone with your kind words and deeds today? How has God used someone else’s kindness to draw you closer to Him?

Loving God, please help me to love others in practical ways each day so I can leave a legacy of kindness that points others straight to You.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Sunday, June 27, 2021
The Overshadowing of God’s Personal Deliverance

"…I am with you to deliver you," says the Lord. —Jeremiah 1:8

God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— “…your life shall be as a prize to you…” (Jeremiah 39:18). That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives. Our personal property and possessions are to be a matter of indifference to us, and our hold on these things should be very loose. If this is not the case, we will have panic, heartache, and distress. Having the proper outlook is evidence of the deeply rooted belief in the overshadowing of God’s personal deliverance.

The Sermon on the Mount indicates that when we are on a mission for Jesus Christ, there is no time to stand up for ourselves. Jesus says, in effect, “Don’t worry about whether or not you are being treated justly.” Looking for justice is actually a sign that we have been diverted from our devotion to Him. Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to indulge ourselves in the discontent of self-pity, as if to say, “Why should I be treated like this?” If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we encounter, whether it is just or unjust. In essence, Jesus says, “Continue steadily on with what I have told you to do, and I will guard your life. If you try to guard it yourself, you remove yourself from My deliverance.” Even the most devout among us become atheistic in this regard— we do not believe Him. We put our common sense on the throne and then attach God’s name to it. We do lean to our own understanding, instead of trusting God with all our hearts (see Proverbs 3:5-6).


WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Much of the misery in our Christian life comes not because the devil tackles us, but because we have never understood the simple laws of our make-up. We have to treat the body as the servant of Jesus Christ: when the body says “Sit,” and He says “Go,” go! When the body says “Eat,” and He says “Fast,” fast! When the body says “Yawn,” and He says “Pray,” pray! Biblical Ethics, 107 R

Bible in a Year: Job 8-10; Acts 8:26-40

Job 25 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

 
Max Lucado Daily: She Called Me Daddy

When my daughter Sara was in the second grade, we took her desk hunting at a store that specializes in unpainted furniture. But when she learned we weren't taking the desk home that day, she was upset. "But, Daddy, I wanted to take it home today." Much to her credit, she didn't stomp her feet and demand her way. She did, however, set out on an urgent course to change her father's mind.
"Daddy, don't you think we could paint it ourselves?" "Daddy, please, let's take it home today." After a bit she disappeared, only to return, arms open wide, bubbling with a discovery. "Guess what, Daddy.  It'll fit in the back of the car!" The fact that she'd measured the trunk with her arms softened my heart.  The clincher, though, was the name she called me… Daddy.  The Lucado family took a desk home that day.
From Dad Time

Job 25

Bildad’s Third Attack
Even the Stars Aren’t Perfect in God’s Eyes

Bildad the Shuhite again attacked Job:

“God is sovereign, God is fearsome—
    everything in the cosmos fits and works in his plan.
Can anyone count his angel armies?
    Is there any place where his light doesn’t shine?
How can a mere mortal presume to stand up to God?
    How can an ordinary person pretend to be guiltless?
Why, even the moon has its flaws,
    even the stars aren’t perfect in God’s eyes,
So how much less, plain men and women—
    slugs and maggots by comparison!”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion    
Saturday, June 26, 2021

Read: Jeremiah 29:10–14

This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.[a] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Footnotes
Jeremiah 29:14 Or will restore your fortunes

INSIGHT
Because the people of Judah had been chronically unfaithful and disobedient (Jeremiah 7:22–26; 11:7–10), God brought a pagan nation from afar to discipline them (1:15–16; 5:15–19; 6:22–23). They’d be exiled to Babylon for seventy years (25:9–11). Jeremiah witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple and the deportations of the Israelites to Babylon (ch. 52), which included Daniel and his friends (Daniel 1:6). But God didn’t abandon His people in Babylon forever. He promised to bring His people back to the promised land (Jeremiah 29:10). Some eight hundred years earlier, Moses had prophesized the exile and the return (Deuteronomy 30:3–5). Daniel read Jeremiah toward the end of the seventy years of exile, which led him to ask God to act upon His promise to bring the Israelites back to Canaan (Daniel 9:1–4).

By Con Campbell
He Hears Us

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:12

United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt often endured long receiving lines at the White House. As the story is told, he complained that no one paid attention to what was said. So, he decided to experiment at a reception. To everyone who passed down the line and shook his hand, he said, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous! Keep up the good work. God bless you, Sir.” It wasn’t until the end of the line, greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were actually heard. Nonplussed, the ambassador whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming.”

Do you ever wonder if people are really listening? Or worse, do you fear that God isn’t listening? We can tell if people are listening based on their responses or eye contact. But how do we know if God is listening? Should we rely on feelings? Or see if God answers our prayers?

After seventy years of exile in Babylon, God promised to bring His people back to Jerusalem and secure their future (Jeremiah 29:10–11). When they called upon Him, He heard them (v. 12). They knew that God heard their prayers because He promised to listen. And the same is true for us (1 John 5:14). We don’t need to rely on feelings or wait for a sign to know that God listens to us. He’s promised to listen, and He always keeps His promises (2 Corinthians 1:20).

When have you felt that God wasn’t listening? Why did you feel that way?

Dear God, thank You for hearing my prayers, though I may sometimes doubt it. Help me to trust Your promise that You listen to me.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Saturday, June 26, 2021
Drawing on the Grace of God— Now

We…plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. —2 Corinthians 6:1

The grace you had yesterday will not be sufficient for today. Grace is the overflowing favor of God, and you can always count on it being available to draw upon as needed. “…in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses”— that is where our patience is tested (2 Corinthians 6:4). Are you failing to rely on the grace of God there? Are you saying to yourself, “Oh well, I won’t count this time”? It is not a question of praying and asking God to help you— it is taking the grace of God now. We tend to make prayer the preparation for our service, yet it is never that in the Bible. Prayer is the practice of drawing on the grace of God. Don’t say, “I will endure this until I can get away and pray.” Pray now — draw on the grace of God in your moment of need. Prayer is the most normal and useful thing; it is not simply a reflex action of your devotion to God. We are very slow to learn to draw on God’s grace through prayer.

“…in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors…” (2 Corinthians 6:5)— in all these things, display in your life a drawing on the grace of God, which will show evidence to yourself and to others that you are a miracle of His. Draw on His grace now, not later. The primary word in the spiritual vocabulary is now. Let circumstances take you where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you may find yourself. One of the greatest proofs that you are drawing on the grace of God is that you can be totally humiliated before others without displaying even the slightest trace of anything but His grace.

“…having nothing….” Never hold anything in reserve. Pour yourself out, giving the best that you have, and always be poor. Never be diplomatic and careful with the treasure God gives you. “…and yet possessing all things”— this is poverty triumphant (2 Corinthians 6:10).

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Beware of bartering the Word of God for a more suitable conception of your own.  Disciples Indeed, 386 R

Bible in a Year: Job 5-7; Acts 8:1-25