Leviticus 6 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: The God of the Plot Twist - November 23, 2021

No condition is too dark, no situation is too difficult, no problem is so severe that God can’t intervene, overturn, and reverse the course of events. Isn’t this the promise of the story of Esther? “…On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them” (Esther 9:1).

God is the God of the plot twist.

Exactly what did happen in Esther’s case? Well God softened a hard heart. “That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king…” (Esther 8:1). With an impression of his ring, Xerxes could condemn an entire race. Yet a higher king was at work, and he still is.

Leviticus 6

God spoke to Moses: “When anyone sins by betraying trust with God by deceiving his neighbor regarding something entrusted to him, or by robbing or cheating or threatening him; or if he has found something lost and lies about it and swears falsely regarding any of these sins that people commonly commit—when he sins and is found guilty, he must return what he stole or extorted, restore what was entrusted to him, return the lost thing he found, or anything else about which he swore falsely. He must make full compensation, add twenty percent to it, and hand it over to the owner on the same day he brings his Compensation-Offering. He must present to God as his Compensation-Offering a ram without any defect from the flock, assessed at the value of a Compensation-Offering.

7 “Thus the priest will make atonement for him before God and he’s forgiven of any of the things that one does that bring guilt.”
Further Instructions

8-13 God spoke to Moses: “Command Aaron and his sons. Tell them, These are the instructions for the Whole-Burnt-Offering. Leave the Whole-Burnt-Offering on the Altar hearth through the night until morning, with the fire kept burning on the Altar. Then dress in your linen clothes with linen underwear next to your body. Remove the ashes remaining from the Whole-Burnt-Offering and place them beside the Altar. Then change clothes and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. Meanwhile keep the fire on the Altar burning; it must not go out. Replenish the wood for the fire every morning, arrange the Whole-Burnt-Offering on it, and burn the fat of the Peace-Offering on top of it all. Keep the fire burning on the Altar continuously. It must not go out.

* * *

14-18 “These are the instructions for the Grain-Offering. Aaron’s sons are to present it to God in front of the Altar. The priest takes a handful of the fine flour of the Grain-Offering with its oil and all its incense and burns this as a memorial on the Altar, a pleasing fragrance to God. Aaron and his sons eat the rest of it. It is unraised bread and so eaten in a holy place—in the Courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. They must not bake it with yeast. I have designated it as their share of the gifts presented to me. It is very holy, like the Absolution-Offering and the Compensation-Offering. Any male descendant among Aaron’s sons may eat it. This is a fixed rule regarding God’s gifts, stretching down the generations. Anyone who touches these offerings must be holy.”

* * *

19-23 God spoke to Moses: “This is the offering which Aaron and his sons each are to present to God on the day he is anointed: two quarts of fine flour as a regular Grain-Offering, half in the morning and half in the evening. Prepare it with oil on a griddle. Bring it well-mixed and then present it crumbled in pieces as a pleasing fragrance to God. Aaron’s son who is anointed to succeed him offers it to God—this is a fixed rule. The whole thing is burned. Every Grain-Offering of a priest is burned completely; it must not be eaten.”

* * *

24-30 God spoke to Moses: “Tell Aaron and his sons, These are the instructions for the Absolution-Offering. Slaughter the Absolution-Offering in the place where the Whole-Burnt-Offering is slaughtered before God—the offering is most holy. The priest in charge eats it in a holy place, the Courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. Anyone who touches any of the meat must be holy. A garment that gets blood spattered on it must be washed in a holy place. Break the clay pot in which the meat was cooked. If it was cooked in a bronze pot, scour it and rinse it with water. Any male among the priestly families may eat it; it is most holy. But any Absolution-Offering whose blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Sanctuary must not be eaten, it has to be burned.”

* * *

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Tuesday, November 23, 2021

A Final Charge to Timothy

10 You, however, know all about my teaching,y my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch,z Iconiuma and Lystra,b the persecutions I endured.c Yet the Lord rescuedd me from all of them.e 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,f 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse,g deceiving and being deceived.h 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,i 15 and how from infancyj you have known the Holy Scriptures,k which are able to make you wisel for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathedm and is useful for teaching,n rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,o 17 so that the servant of Goda p may be thoroughly equipped for every good work

Insight

Timothy was Paul’s “true son in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2). We first see him in Acts 16:1–3, where we learn his “mother [Eunice] was Jewish and a believer.” Later we read that his grandmother Lois was also a believer (2 Timothy 1:5). Timothy lived in Lystra, and the believers there and in Iconium (about twenty miles north) spoke well of him (Acts 16:2). And so when Paul visited there during his second missionary journey, he took Timothy with him. But first, Paul circumcised him because of the local Jews who knew his father was a Greek or gentile (v. 3). Paul didn’t want to hinder the spread of the gospel to the Jews. Timothy became a loved companion and vital member of Paul’s missionary team and is mentioned throughout Paul’s letters. Today’s passage (2 Timothy 3:10–17), includes some of Paul’s final words to Timothy. By: Alyson Kieda

Sharing Hope

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:11

As Emma shared how God helped her embrace her identity as His beloved child, she weaved Scripture into our conversation. I could barely figure out where the high school student stopped speaking her words and began quoting the words of God. When I commended her for being like a walking Bible, her brow furrowed. She hadn’t been intentionally reciting Scripture verses. Through daily reading of the Bible, the wisdom found in it had become a part of Emma’s everyday vocabulary. She rejoiced in God’s constant presence and enjoyed every opportunity He provided to share His truth with others. But Emma isn’t the first young person God has used to inspire others to prayerfully read, memorize, and apply Scripture.

When the apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to step into leadership, he demonstrated confidence in this young man (1 Timothy 4:11–16). Paul acknowledged that Timothy was rooted in Scripture from infancy (2 Timothy 3:15). Like Paul, Timothy faced doubters. Still, both men lived as if they believed all Scripture was “God-breathed.” They recognized Scripture was “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (vv. 16–17).

When we hide God’s wisdom in our hearts, His truth and love can pour into our conversations naturally. We can be like walking Bibles sharing God’s eternal hope wherever we go. By:  Xochitl Dixon

Reflect & Pray

How do you hide Scripture in your heart and mind? How has God’s wisdom helped you share His truth with others?

Father, saturate my heart with Your wisdom so I can share You with others naturally and courageously.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, November 23, 2021

The Distraction of Contempt

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt. —Psalm 123:3

What we must beware of is not damage to our belief in God but damage to our Christian disposition or state of mind. “Take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously” (Malachi 2:16). Our state of mind is powerful in its effects. It can be the enemy that penetrates right into our soul and distracts our mind from God. There are certain attitudes we should never dare to indulge. If we do, we will find they have distracted us from faith in God. Until we get back into a quiet mood before Him, our faith is of no value, and our confidence in the flesh and in human ingenuity is what rules our lives.

Beware of “the cares of this world…” (Mark 4:19). They are the very things that produce the wrong attitudes in our soul. It is incredible what enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention away from God. Refuse to be swamped by “the cares of this world.”

Another thing that distracts us is our passion for vindication. St. Augustine prayed, “O Lord, deliver me from this lust of always vindicating myself.” Such a need for constant vindication destroys our soul’s faith in God. Don’t say, “I must explain myself,” or, “I must get people to understand.” Our Lord never explained anything— He left the misunderstandings or misconceptions of others to correct themselves.

When we discern that other people are not growing spiritually and allow that discernment to turn to criticism, we block our fellowship with God. God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

We never enter into the Kingdom of God by having our head questions answered, but only by commitment. The Highest Good—Thy Great Redemption, 565 R

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Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 20-21; James 5

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Twister Love - #9097

It had been an awful spring for tornadoes - record-setting in many ways. Again and again, our news coverage then was filled with those all-too-familiar images of a city or a neighborhood leveled and the death toll rising. One of them hit pretty close to where we are. It hit in Joplin, Missouri.

The image that they kept showing over and over came from a cell phone video that was shot in a convenience store that literally as the tornado was tearing that store apart. Now, miraculously, everyone survived. But they sure didn't think they would.

As you look at this video, most of it's like pitch blackness. You see an occasional flash of something flying by. But it's the audio that's haunting. Because as the tornado rips that place apart, you hear the screams, you hear the outcries, the terror, and a lady's voice repeatedly saying, "Jesus. Jesus!" And then another voice going, "I love you."

That's the part that stuck out to me. Somewhere in the middle of that mayhem, in the middle of that brush with death, here's a man's voice calling out, "I love you." That got to me.

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

It's a reminder that today is the only day that we're sure we have to say those words. Our word for today from the Word of God, Proverbs 27:1, and it warns us, "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." Boy, is that the truth! How many times have we found that we thought we knew what was going to happen in a day, and something life-changing, game-changing hit us? You just can't count on tomorrow. There's that call from the scene of an accident, an embolism, a knock at the door, a sudden storm. The call I got that said my wife was gone. Well, I know about this. Now, this isn't morbid, it's motivating to remember that every person we love is just one heartbeat away from eternity. That's not to live in fear, it's so we can live without regrets.

The Bible says, "Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). Smart people make every day count. If you appreciate someone, say it now. If you love someone, tell them now. If things are broken, fix them now. If there have been harsh words, apologize now. If there's anger in your heart, get rid of it now.

Write that letter. Make that call. Go see that person. Give that gift. Say that thank you. Grab that time together. Show them you love them NOW.

In those desperate, tornado-surrounded voices, there was a reminder, too, that we need to call out to Jesus while there's still time, because God has promised that "whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). And that means saved from the penalty; the eternal penalty for hijacking our lives from Him. Jesus was doing something incredible in that most awesome act of love in all of human history when He bled and died, and allowed Himself - offered Himself - to be butchered on a cross; to be the One to be separated from God so you and I don't have to be. So we can be ready to live, and ready to die, and guaranteed of an eternity in heaven. And the Bible says this about the rescue that Jesus makes possible, "Now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).

This is all we know we've got. And if you've known about Jesus, but you've never given yourself to Jesus, you're not sure there's been a time when you've said, "Jesus, I'm grabbing you like you're my only hope" like a drowning person would grab a rescuer, do it now. Get it done! You don't know if you'll have another chance. Here's the Bible, "Seek the Lord while He may be found" (Isaiah 55:6). Let this be the day you know you are ready for eternity.

Go to our website. You'll find exactly how to begin your personal relationship with Christ. It's ANewStory.com. Go there today.

I remember one man said after a deadly tornado in Oklahoma. He said, "It made us remember that we all have an expiration date, and we don't know when it is." Uh-huh. And now is all we know that we've got for sure.

Mark 5:21-43 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Join Hands with God’s - November 22, 2021

Justice happens to the degree that we align ourselves with God’s hand of fairness. When you teach a disabled child to walk or read, when you care for the elderly, when you rally to support the oppressed, you accomplish something that will continue into the world to come. It’s a wonderful thing to restore art or dilapidated houses, but it is a holy thing to restore human dignity. When we join hands with God’s, justice finds oxygen, and oppression hides in the corner.

To be clear, the day is coming when God will forever balance the scales of justice. The glory of the new kingdom will be hallmarked by prosperity and justice. Until then, let’s partner with him in the pursuit of what is right. When you stand up for the downtrodden, justice has a chance, and Satan has a fit.

Mark 5:21-43

A Risk of Faith

21-24 After Jesus crossed over by boat, a large crowd met him at the seaside. One of the meeting-place leaders named Jairus came. When he saw Jesus, he fell to his knees, beside himself as he begged, “My dear daughter is at death’s door. Come and lay hands on her so she will get well and live.” Jesus went with him, the whole crowd tagging along, pushing and jostling him.

25-29 A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years—a long succession of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before—had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, “If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well.” The moment she did it, the flow of blood dried up. She could feel the change and knew her plague was over and done with.

30 At the same moment, Jesus felt energy discharging from him. He turned around to the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?”

31 His disciples said, “What are you talking about? With this crowd pushing and jostling you, you’re asking, ‘Who touched me?’ Dozens have touched you!”

32-33 But he went on asking, looking around to see who had done it. The woman, knowing what had happened, knowing she was the one, stepped up in fear and trembling, knelt before him, and gave him the whole story.

34 Jesus said to her, “Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague.”

* * *

35 While he was still talking, some people came from the leader’s house and told him, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?”

36 Jesus overheard what they were talking about and said to the leader, “Don’t listen to them; just trust me.”

37-40 He permitted no one to go in with him except Peter, James, and John. They entered the leader’s house and pushed their way through the gossips looking for a story and neighbors bringing in casseroles. Jesus was abrupt: “Why all this busybody grief and gossip? This child isn’t dead; she’s sleeping.” Provoked to sarcasm, they told him he didn’t know what he was talking about.

40-43 But when he had sent them all out, he took the child’s father and mother, along with his companions, and entered the child’s room. He clasped the girl’s hand and said, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, get up.” At that, she was up and walking around! This girl was twelve years of age. They, of course, were all beside themselves with joy. He gave them strict orders that no one was to know what had taken place in that room. Then he said, “Give her something to eat.”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Monday, November 22, 2021

Today's Scripture
John 4:19–26
(NIV)

“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet.m 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain,n but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”o

21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is comingp when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.q 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know;r we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.s 23 Yet a time is coming and has now comet when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spiritu and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit,v and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ)w “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

Insight

The events in John 4:19–26 take place in the context of Jesus asking a Samaritan woman to draw water for Him from a well (v. 7). This is significant because “Jews [didn’t] associate with Samaritans” (v. 9), and the handling of a container that had been held by a Samaritan would make Jesus ceremonially unclean. However, this doesn’t deter Him, and instead He tells the woman about her life and many husbands (vv. 16–18). That’s why she calls Him a prophet in verse 19. After Jesus explains that the location of our worship isn’t significant, the woman mentions the Messiah (v. 25). Jesus’ response in verse 26 that He’s the Messiah is a reference to God as the “I am” in the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14). In the Greek translation, the word he at the end of John 4:26 is absent and literally reads: “I am—the one who speaks to you.” By: Julie Schwab

True Worshipers

True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth.
John 4:23

She finally had the chance to visit the church. Inside, in the deepest part of the basement, she reached the small cave or grotto. Candles filled the narrow space and hanging lamps illuminated a corner of the floor. There it was—a fourteen-pointed silver star, covering a raised bit of the marble floor. She was in Bethlehem’s Grotto of the Nativity—the place marking the spot where according to tradition Christ was born. Yet the writer, Annie Dillard, felt less than impressed, realizing God was much bigger than that spot.

Still, such places have always held great significance in our faith stories. Another such place is mentioned in the conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well—the mountain where her “ancestors worshiped” (John 4:20), referring to Mount Gerizim (see Deuteronomy 11:29). It was sacred to the Samaritans, who contrasted it to the Jewish insistence that Jerusalem was where true worship occurred (v. 20). However, Jesus declared the time had arrived when worship was no longer specific to a place, but a Person: “the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth” (v. 23). The woman declared her faith in the Messiah, but she didn’t realize she was talking to Him. “Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you—I am he’ ” (v. 26).

God isn’t limited to any mountain or physical space. He’s present with us everywhere. The true pilgrimage we make each day is to approach His throne as we boldly say, “Our Father,” and He is there. By:  John Blase

Reflect & Pray

What difference does it make to you knowing that God is spirit, always and ever present? What will you praise Him for in this moment?

Father, thank You for Your constant presence no matter where I am.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, November 22, 2021
Shallow and Profound

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. —1 Corinthians 10:31

Beware of allowing yourself to think that the shallow aspects of life are not ordained by God; they are ordained by Him equally as much as the profound. We sometimes refuse to be shallow, not out of our deep devotion to God but because we wish to impress other people with the fact that we are not shallow. This is a sure sign of spiritual pride. We must be careful, for this is how contempt for others is produced in our lives. And it causes us to be a walking rebuke to other people because they are more shallow than we are. Beware of posing as a profound person— God became a baby.

To be shallow is not a sign of being sinful, nor is shallowness an indication that there is no depth to your life at all— the ocean has a shore. Even the shallow things of life, such as eating and drinking, walking and talking, are ordained by God. These are all things our Lord did. He did them as the Son of God, and He said, “A disciple is not above his teacher…” (Matthew 10:24).

We are safeguarded by the shallow things of life. We have to live the surface, commonsense life in a commonsense way. Then when God gives us the deeper things, they are obviously separated from the shallow concerns. Never show the depth of your life to anyone but God. We are so nauseatingly serious, so desperately interested in our own character and reputation, we refuse to behave like Christians in the shallow concerns of life.

Make a determination to take no one seriously except God. You may find that the first person you must be the most critical with, as being the greatest fraud you have ever known, is yourself.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

I have no right to say I believe in God unless I order my life as under His all-seeing Eye. Disciples Indeed, 385 L

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 18-19; James 4

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, November 22, 2021

Where the Spotlight Belongs - #9096

When you speak in public settings as much as I do, you learn there are two people in that auditorium you really want on your side. One is the man in charge of the sound. Without him, no one can hear you. The other is the man in charge of the spotlight, because without him, no one can see you.

After all, I'm not that big you know, and I disappear pretty easily in a crowd or a large event. The spotlight man is really one of the unsung heroes. I mean, you don't think about him; he's invisible for the most part, but he sure makes a difference in the program...unless he forgets where the spotlight goes. Imagine the announcer says, "And now here's our host, Guy Smiley." And as the M.C. appears on stage, the spotlight man suddenly swings that light around until it's shining right on him! You can't see the man you're supposed to be looking at because the guy with the spotlight has you looking at him!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Where the Spotlight Belongs."

The problem of the misplaced spotlight has happened over and over again, with the spotlight that's supposed to be shining on God and God alone. Now you may not have a union card, but if you're a Jesus-follower, you're a spotlight operator. The question is, who's the spotlight on?

King David must have struggled with that sometimes. He says in our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 115:1, "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name be the glory." Isn't it interesting He says "not to us" twice? Almost as if he needs to hear himself say it again. "The glory is not supposed to go to us - not to us." See, God should always get all the credit, all the credit.

Jeremiah asks this probing question - one which I need to listen to and maybe you do, too. He says in Jeremiah 45:5, "Should you then seek great things for yourself?" Then this sober warning, "Seek them not." God Himself soberly warns us, "I am the Lord. That is My name. And My glory I will not give to another." But listen, it's tempting to grab a little of the glory, isn't it? After you've made a good impression or done a good job, just to think, "Hey, aren't I something?" Then God weighs in with His reality check. 1 Corinthians 4:7 - "What do you have that you did not receive?" Or as 2 Corinthians 4:7 says in the Living Bible, "Our only power and success comes from God."

Could it be you've been turning the light that's supposed to be illuminating Jesus on yourself? Pride has subtly started to creep in, you're making sure that folks hear about what you did, you're pushing, you're promoting yourself a little more, you're getting slightly addicted to the attention, to the applause. Without realizing it, you have reversed John's equation, "He must increase; I must decrease." Now it's like, "You must increase."

Throughout Scripture, throughout history, pride has been the subtle destroyer of people God wanted to use. As soon as He started to use them, they forgot it was Him, not them, that any success is a gift from God, not an achievement by us. It's all about Jesus; it's nothing about you. And even though men can't usually see the pride in your heart like they can see more outward sins, God can see it and He will not tolerate it.

All the good things God has given you, all the good things God has done for you and see. through you, you are to use all that as a spotlight to shine on the only star there really is in this show - the Lord God himself.

If you've been turning that spotlight on yourself lately, it's time to put it back where it belongs. "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your Name be the glory."

Leviticus 5 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: God's Reward

God rewards those who seek Him! Not those who seek doctrine or religion or systems or creeds. Many settle for these lesser passions, but the reward goes to those who settle for nothing less than Jesus Himself.
And what is the reward? What awaits those who seek Jesus? Nothing short of the heart of Jesus. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him.  Can you think of a greater gift than to be like Jesus?
Christ felt no guilt; God wants to banish yours. Jesus had no bad habits; God wants to remove yours. Jesus had no fear of death; God wants you to be fearless. Jesus had kindness for the diseased and mercy for the rebellious and courage for the challenges. God wants you to have the same.  Isn't it just like Jesus!
From Lucado Inspirational Reader

Leviticus 5

 “If you sin by not stepping up and offering yourself as a witness to something you’ve heard or seen in cases of wrongdoing, you’ll be held responsible.

2 “Or if you touch anything ritually unclean, like the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or a dead reptile, and you weren’t aware of it at the time, but you’re contaminated and you’re guilty;

3 “Or if you touch human uncleanness, any sort of ritually contaminating uncleanness, and you’re not aware of it at the time, but later you realize it and you’re guilty;

4 “Or if you impulsively swear to do something, whether good or bad—some rash oath that just pops out—and you aren’t aware of what you’ve done at the time, but later you come to realize it and you’re guilty in any of these cases;

5-6 “When you are guilty, immediately confess the sin that you’ve committed and bring as your penalty to God for the sin you have committed a female lamb or goat from the flock for an Absolution-Offering.

“In this way, the priest will make atonement for your sin.

7-10 “If you can’t afford a lamb, bring as your penalty to God for the sin you have committed two doves or two pigeons, one for the Absolution-Offering and the other for the Whole-Burnt-Offering. Bring them to the priest who will first offer the one for the Absolution-Offering: He’ll wring its neck but not sever it, splash some of the blood of the Absolution-Offering against the Altar, and squeeze the rest of it out at the base. It’s an Absolution-Offering. He’ll then take the second bird and offer it as a Whole-Burnt-Offering, following the procedures step-by-step.

“In this way, the priest will make atonement for your sin and you’re forgiven.

11-12 “If you cannot afford the two doves or pigeons, bring two quarts of fine flour for your Absolution-Offering. Don’t put oil or incense on it—it’s an Absolution-Offering. Bring it to the priest; he’ll take a handful from it as a memorial and burn it on the Altar with the gifts for God. It’s an Absolution-Offering.

13 “The priest will make atonement for you and any of these sins you’ve committed and you’re forgiven. The rest of the offering belongs to the priest, the same as with the Grain-Offering.”
Compensation-Offering

14-16 God spoke to Moses: “When a person betrays his trust and unknowingly sins by straying against any of the holy things of God, he is to bring as his penalty to God a ram without any defect from the flock, the value of the ram assessed in shekels, according to the Sanctuary shekel for a Compensation-Offering. He is to make additional compensation for the sin he has committed against any holy thing by adding twenty percent to the ram and giving it to the priest.

“Thus the priest will make atonement for him with the ram of the Compensation-Offering and he’s forgiven.

17-18 “If anyone sins by breaking any of the commandments of God which must not be broken, but without being aware of it at the time, the moment he does realize his guilt he is held responsible. He is to bring to the priest a ram without any defect, assessed at the value of the Compensation-Offering.

18-19 “Thus the priest will make atonement for him for his error that he was unaware of and he’s forgiven. It is a Compensation-Offering; he was surely guilty before God.”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Sunday, November 21, 2021

Today's Scripture
Psalm 143
(NIV)

A psalm of David.

1 Lord, hear my prayer,i

listen to my cry for mercy;j

in your faithfulnessk and righteousnessl

come to my relief.

2 Do not bring your servant into judgment,

for no one living is righteousm before you.

3 The enemy pursues me,

he crushes me to the ground;

he makes me dwell in the darknessn

like those long dead.o

4 So my spirit grows faint within me;

my heart within me is dismayed.p

5 I rememberq the days of long ago;

I meditater on all your works

and consider what your hands have done.

6 I spread out my handss to you;

I thirst for you like a parched land.a

7 Answer me quickly,t Lord;

my spirit fails.u

Do not hide your facev from me

or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,w

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the wayx I should go,

for to you I entrust my life.y

9 Rescue mez from my enemies,a Lord,

for I hide myself in you.

10 Teach meb to do your will,

for you are my God;c

may your good Spirit

leadd me on level ground.e

11 For your name’s sake,f Lord, preserve my life;g

in your righteousness,h bring me out of trouble.

12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;i

destroy all my foes,j

for I am your servant.

Insight

Church tradition has categorized Psalm 143 as one of the seven penitential psalms (psalms of confession) in which the writer expresses sorrow and repentance for sins. But only verse 2 fits that description neatly. The primary point of the poem is David’s desperate request for deliverance. Verses 3–4 outline the problem: he’s hiding from his enemy—quite possibly his own son Absalom. All the remaining verses address God directly, either appealing to Him for help or extolling His righteousness and recalling His previous help in times of need. The penitential aspect of the second verse provides a model for us in our own pleas to God for deliverance from danger. The greatest rescue we need is from our own sin. By: Tim Gustafson

Labrador Angel

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love.
Psalm 143:8

In 2019, Cap Dashwood and his sweet black lab companion, Chaela (“Chae” in memory of his lab who died; “la,” Dashwood’s abbreviation for “Labrador angel”), accomplished something remarkable: reaching a mountain summit each day for 365 consecutive days.

Dashwood has a moving story to tell. He left home at sixteen, explaining simply, “Bad family life.” But these past wounds led him to find healing elsewhere. He explains, “Sometimes when you’re disappointed by people, you turn to something else. You know?” For Dashwood, mountain climbing and the unconditional love of his black lab companion has been a big part of that “something else.”

For those of us, like myself, who deeply love our animal companions, a big piece of why we do is the sweet, utterly unconditional love they pour out—a kind of love that’s rare. But I like to think the love they effortlessly give points to a much greater and deeper reality than the failures of others—God’s unshakable, boundless love upholding the universe.

In Psalm 143, as in many of his prayers, it’s only David’s faith in that unshakable, “unfailing love” (v. 12) that tethers him to hope in a time when he feels utterly alone. But a lifetime of walking with God gives him just enough strength to trust that the morning will “bring me word of your unfailing love” (v. 8).

Just enough hope to trust again and to let God lead the way to paths unknown (v. 8). By:  Monica La Rose

Reflect & Pray

What signs of God’s unfailing, unending love do you see in the world around you? How have your experiences of the love of God through others or even animal companions given you renewed hope and courage?

Loving God, thank You for showing me how to believe in love and joy again. Help me to be a channel of that hope for others.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Sunday, November 21, 2021
“It is Finished!”

I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. —John 17:4

The death of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment in history of the very mind and intent of God. There is no place for seeing Jesus Christ as a martyr. His death was not something that happened to Him— something that might have been prevented. His death was the very reason He came.

Never build your case for forgiveness on the idea that God is our Father and He will forgive us because He loves us. That contradicts the revealed truth of God in Jesus Christ. It makes the Cross unnecessary, and the redemption “much ado about nothing.” God forgives sin only because of the death of Christ. God could forgive people in no other way than by the death of His Son, and Jesus is exalted as Savior because of His death. “We see Jesus…for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor…” (Hebrews 2:9). The greatest note of triumph ever sounded in the ears of a startled universe was that sounded on the Cross of Christ— “It is finished!” (John 19:30). That is the final word in the redemption of humankind.

Anything that lessens or completely obliterates the holiness of God, through a false view of His love, contradicts the truth of God as revealed by Jesus Christ. Never allow yourself to believe that Jesus Christ stands with us, and against God, out of pity and compassion, or that He became a curse for us out of sympathy for us. Jesus Christ became a curse for us by divine decree. Our part in realizing the tremendous meaning of His curse is the conviction of sin. Conviction is given to us as a gift of shame and repentance; it is the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ hates the sin in people, and Calvary is the measure of His hatred.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

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

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 16-17; James 3

Leviticus 4, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: What He Says He Will Do

God will always be the same. No one else will. Companies follow pay raises with pink slips. Friends applaud you when you drive a classic and dismiss you when you drive a dud. Not God. God is always the same. James 4:1 says, with Him, “there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

Catch God in a bad mood? Won’t happen. Fear exhausting His grace? A sardine will swallow the Atlantic first. Think He’s given up on you? Wrong. Did He not make a promise to you?

God is not a human being, and He will not lie. He is not a human, and He does not change His mind. What He says He will do. What He promises will come true. His strength, truth, ways, and love never change.

Hebrews 13:8 declares “He is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Trust him…what He says, He will do!

From The Lucado Inspirational Reader

Leviticus  4

The Absolution-Offering

God spoke to Moses: “Tell the Israelites, When a person sins unintentionally by straying from any of God’s commands, breaking what must not be broken, if it’s the anointed priest who sins and so brings guilt on the people, he is to bring a bull without defect to God as an Absolution-Offering for the sin he has committed. Have him bring the bull to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting in the presence of God, lay his hand on the bull’s head, and slaughter the bull before God. He is then to take some of the bull’s blood, bring it into the Tent of Meeting, dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of it seven times before God, before the curtain of the Sanctuary. He is to smear some of the blood on the horns of the Altar of Fragrant Incense before God which is in the Tent of Meeting. He is to pour the rest of the bull’s blood out at the base of the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. He is to remove all the fat from the bull of the Absolution-Offering, the fat which covers and is connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat that is around them at the loins, and the lobe of the liver which he takes out along with the kidneys—the same procedure as when the fat is removed from the bull of the Peace-Offering. Finally, he is to burn all this on the Altar of Burnt Offering. Everything else—the bull’s hide, meat, head, legs, organs, and guts—he is to take outside the camp to a clean place where the ashes are dumped and is to burn it on a wood fire.

13-21 “If the whole congregation sins unintentionally by straying from one of the commandments of God that must not be broken, they become guilty even though no one is aware of it. When they do become aware of the sin they’ve committed, the congregation must bring a bull as an Absolution-Offering and present it at the Tent of Meeting. The elders of the congregation will lay their hands on the bull’s head in the presence of God and one of them will slaughter it before God. The anointed priest will then bring some of the blood into the Tent of Meeting, dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of it seven times before God in front of the curtain. He will smear some of the blood on the horns of the Altar which is before God in the Tent of Meeting and pour the rest of it at the base of the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. He will remove all the fat and burn it on the Altar. He will follow the same procedure with this bull as with the bull for the Absolution-Offering. The priest makes atonement for them and they are forgiven. They then will take the bull outside the camp and burn it just as they burned the first bull. It’s the Absolution-Offering for the congregation.

22-26 “When a ruler sins unintentionally by straying from one of the commands of his God which must not be broken, he is guilty. When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring a goat for his offering, a male without any defect, lay his hand on the head of the goat, and slaughter it in the place where they slaughter the Whole-Burnt-Offering in the presence of God—it’s an Absolution-Offering. The priest will then take some of the blood of the Absolution-Offering with his finger, smear it on the horns of the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering, and pour the rest at the base of the Altar. He will burn all its fat on the Altar, the same as with the fat of the Peace-Offering.

“The priest makes atonement for him on account of his sin and he’s forgiven.

27-31 “When an ordinary member of the congregation sins unintentionally, straying from one of the commandments of God which must not be broken, he is guilty. When he is made aware of his sin, he shall bring a goat, a female without any defect, and offer it for his sin, lay his hand on the head of the Absolution-Offering, and slaughter it at the place of the Whole-Burnt-Offering. The priest will take some of its blood with his finger, smear it on the horns of the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering, and pour the rest at the base of the Altar. Finally, he’ll take out all the fat, the same as with the Peace-Offerings, and burn it on the Altar for a pleasing fragrance to God.

“In this way, the priest makes atonement for him and he’s forgiven.

32-35 “If he brings a lamb for an Absolution-Offering, he shall present a female without any defect, lay his hand on the head of the Absolution-Offering, and slaughter it at the same place they slaughter the Whole-Burnt-Offering. The priest will take some of the blood of the Absolution-Offering with his finger, smear it on the horns of the Altar of Burnt-Offering, and pour the rest at the base of the Altar. He shall remove all the fat, the same as for the lamb of the Peace-Offering. Finally, the priest will burn it on the Altar on top of the gifts to God.

“In this way, the priest makes atonement for him on account of his sin and he’s forgiven.”

* * *

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Saturday, November 20, 2021

Today's Scripture
John 10:1–10
(NIV)

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.g 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.h 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.i He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.j 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.k 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech,l but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.m

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I amn the gateo for the sheep. 8 All who have come before mep are thieves and robbers,q but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.a They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,r and have it to the full.

Insight

One of the stylistic features of John’s gospel is the frequent use of the words very truly (see, for example, John 10:1, 7). In the King James Version, the words are translated “verily, verily” and in the English Standard Version, “truly, truly.” These words are a transliteration of the Hebrew word aw-mane, from which we get our English word amen. As demonstrated in Old and New Testament usage and our subsequent usage, the word speaks of things that are “firm,” “true,” “trustworthy,” and “faithful.” John is the only gospel where this “double amen” phrase (twenty-five times) comes from the lips of Jesus, the One with the title “the Amen” (Revelation 3:14). The words of the One who provides life “to the full” (John 10:10) are trustworthy indeed. By: Arthur Jackson

He Fills the Empty

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10

Psychologist Madeline Levine noticed the fifteen-year-old girl’s “cutter disguise”—a long sleeve T-shirt pulled halfway over her hand commonly used by people who engage in self-harm. When the young girl pulled back her sleeve, Levine was startled to find that the girl had used a razor to carve “empty” on her forearm. She was saddened, but also grateful the teen was open to receiving the serious help she desperately needed.

The teen in some way represents many people who’ve carved “empty” on their hearts. John wrote that Jesus came to fill the empty and to offer life “to the full” (John 10:10). God placed the desire for a full life in every human being, and He longs for people to experience a loving relationship with Him. But He also warned them that the “thief” would use people, things, and circumstances to attempt to ravage their lives (vv. 1, 10). The claims each made to give life would be counterfeit and an imitation. In contrast, Jesus offers what’s true—“eternal life” and the promise that “no one will snatch [us] out of [His] hand” (v. 28).

Only Jesus can fill the empty spaces in our hearts with life. If you’re feeling empty, call out to Him today. And if you’re experiencing serious struggles, seek out godly counsel. Christ alone provides life that’s abundant and full—life full of meaning found in Him. By:  Marvin Williams

Reflect & Pray

In your search for significance and excitement, what kinds of things have left you disappointed? How has Jesus made your life full?

Jesus, as I consider the full and abundant life You’ve provided for me, please help me resist turning from You to things I think will satisfy me.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Saturday, November 20, 2021
The Forgiveness of God

In Him we have…the forgiveness of sins… —Ephesians 1:7

Beware of the pleasant view of the fatherhood of God: God is so kind and loving that of course He will forgive us. That thought, based solely on emotion, cannot be found anywhere in the New Testament. The only basis on which God can forgive us is the tremendous tragedy of the Cross of Christ. To base our forgiveness on any other ground is unconscious blasphemy. The only ground on which God can forgive our sin and reinstate us to His favor is through the Cross of Christ. There is no other way! Forgiveness, which is so easy for us to accept, cost the agony at Calvary. We should never take the forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and our sanctification in simple faith, and then forget the enormous cost to God that made all of this ours.

Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace. The cost to God was the Cross of Christ. To forgive sin, while remaining a holy God, this price had to be paid. Never accept a view of the fatherhood of God if it blots out the atonement. The revealed truth of God is that without the atonement He cannot forgive— He would contradict His nature if He did. The only way we can be forgiven is by being brought back to God through the atonement of the Cross. God’s forgiveness is possible only in the supernatural realm.

Compared with the miracle of the forgiveness of sin, the experience of sanctification is small. Sanctification is simply the wonderful expression or evidence of the forgiveness of sins in a human life. But the thing that awakens the deepest fountain of gratitude in a human being is that God has forgiven his sin. Paul never got away from this. Once you realize all that it cost God to forgive you, you will be held as in a vise, constrained by the love of God.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

To those who have had no agony Jesus says, “I have nothing for you; stand on your own feet, square your own shoulders. I have come for the man who knows he has a bigger handful than he can cope with, who knows there are forces he cannot touch; I will do everything for him if he will let Me. Only let a man grant he needs it, and I will do it for him.”
The Shadow of an Agony

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Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 14-15; James 2
 

Leviticus 3, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: A Word of Caution and Comfort - November 19, 2021

“He will judge everyone according to what they have done” (Romans 2:6 NLT).

For some of you this is a word of caution. Don’t think for a moment that God turns a blind eye to acts of rebellion and deeds of malice. Dismiss God in this life, and he will dismiss you in the next.

For others this can be a word of comfort. Do evildoers get a free pass? The Bible’s answer is a resounding no! God “has set a day when he will judge the world” (Acts 17:31).

God’s righteous indignation is on high boil, and his call to you and me is straightforward: Get involved. “Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered” (Proverbs 21:13). When we cry out, “God, do something!” he says, “I did – I created you.”

Leviticus 3

The Peace-Offering

3 1-5 “If your offering is a Peace-Offering and you present an animal from the herd, either male or female, it must be an animal without any defect. Lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons, the priests, will throw the blood on all sides of the Altar. As a Fire-Gift to God from the Peace-Offering, present all the fat that covers or is connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat around them at the loins, and the lobe of the liver that is removed along with the kidneys. Aaron and his sons will burn it on the Altar along with the Whole-Burnt-Offering that is on the wood prepared for the fire: a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God.

6-11 “If your Peace-Offering to God comes from the flock, bring a male or female without defect. If you offer a lamb, offer it to God. Lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the Tent of Meeting. The sons of Aaron will throw its blood on all sides of the Altar. As a Fire-Gift to God from the Peace-Offering, present its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, all the fat on and connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat around them on the loins, and the lobe of the liver which is removed along with the kidneys. The priest will burn it on the Altar: a meal, a Fire-Gift to God.

12-16 “If the offering is a goat, bring it into the presence of God, lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons will throw the blood on all sides of the Altar. As a Fire-Gift to God present the fat that covers and is connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat which is around them on the loins, and the lobe of the liver which is removed along with the kidneys. The priest will burn them on the Altar: a meal, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance.

16-17 “All the fat belongs to God. This is the fixed rule down through the generations, wherever you happen to live: Don’t eat the fat; don’t eat the blood. None of it.”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Friday, November 19, 2021
Today's Scripture
Lamentations 3:21–23
(NIV)

Yet this I call to mind

and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the Lord’s great lover we are not consumed,s

for his compassions never fail.t

23 They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

Insight

The writer of Lamentations isn’t named, but there are reasons to believe Jeremiah wrote this book. Having prophesied for some forty-seven years (627–580 bc) to a disobedient, disbelieving Judah, Jeremiah writes as an eyewitness, lamenting the destruction and devastation that occurred when the Babylonian army marched into Jerusalem. For two years (588–586 bc), Nebuchadnezzar besieged the city. Second Kings 25:1–4 tells of the desperate conditions within it (Lamentations 2:20; 4:10). Jeremiah witnessed the eventual destruction of the city and temple (Jeremiah 52:12–27). In five emotionally charged dirges or funeral laments, Jeremiah describes the sufferings of the people and the reasons for them. The prophet also writes of hope in the midst of despair (Lamentations 3:21–32). God, who has rightly judged their unfaithfulness, is still their hope. He’s the God of compassion, faithfulness, and salvation (vv. 21–26). By: K. T. Sim

When You Can’t Go On

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed . . . great is [His] faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22–23

In 2006, my dad was diagnosed with a neurological disease that robbed him of his memory, speech, and control over body movements. He became bedridden in 2011 and continues to be cared for by my mom at home. The beginning of his illness was a dark time. I was fearful: I knew nothing about caring for a sick person, and I was anxious about finances and my mom’s health.

The words of Lamentations 3:22 helped me get up many mornings when the light was as gray as the state of my heart: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed.” The Hebrew word for “consumed” means “to be used up completely” or “to come to an end.”

God’s great love enables us to go on, to get up to face the day. Our trials may feel overwhelming, but we won’t be destroyed by them because God’s love is far greater!

There are many times I can recount when God has shown His faithful, loving ways to my family. I saw His provision in the kindness of relatives and friends, the wise counsel of doctors, financial provision, and the reminder in our hearts that—one day—my dad will be whole again in heaven.

If you’re going through a dark time, don’t lose hope. God can help you to not be consumed by what you face. Keep trusting in His faithful love and provision for you. By:  Karen Huang

Reflect & Pray

In the midst of difficulty, where do you go for strength? How can you remind yourself to trust in God’s great love?

Father, help me to keep trusting You. Open my eyes so I can see Your love and faithfulness.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, November 19, 2021
“When He Has Come”

When He has come, He will convict the world of sin… —John 16:8

Very few of us know anything about conviction of sin. We know the experience of being disturbed because we have done wrong things. But conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit blots out every relationship on earth and makes us aware of only one— “Against You, You only, have I sinned…” (Psalm 51:4). When a person is convicted of sin in this way, he knows with every bit of his conscience that God would not dare to forgive him. If God did forgive him, then this person would have a stronger sense of justice than God. God does forgive, but it cost the breaking of His heart with grief in the death of Christ to enable Him to do so. The great miracle of the grace of God is that He forgives sin, and it is the death of Jesus Christ alone that enables the divine nature to forgive and to remain true to itself in doing so. It is shallow nonsense to say that God forgives us because He is love. Once we have been convicted of sin, we will never say this again. The love of God means Calvary— nothing less! The love of God is spelled out on the Cross and nowhere else. The only basis for which God can forgive me is the Cross of Christ. It is there that His conscience is satisfied.

Forgiveness doesn’t merely mean that I am saved from hell and have been made ready for heaven (no one would accept forgiveness on that level). Forgiveness means that I am forgiven into a newly created relationship which identifies me with God in Christ. The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

The place for the comforter is not that of one who preaches, but of the comrade who says nothing, but prays to God about the matter. The biggest thing you can do for those who are suffering is not to talk platitudes, not to ask questions, but to get into contact with God, and the “greater works” will be done by prayer (see John 14:12–13).  Baffled to Fight Better, 56 R

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 11-13; James 1

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, November 19, 2021

Cleanup or Cover-Up - #9095

Nobody ever said college guys are going to win the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Right? I mean, entering many of their dorm rooms is only for the very brave, and those with a strong stomach. Where is Mom when you really need her?

When our son was in college, I encountered a new low in dorm housekeeping. When I complained that I thought intermediate life forms were growing in our son's bathroom, he said, "Oh, Dad, you should see the guys down the hall." And when he described their bathroom to me, I actually had no desire to visually confirm his report. It was early spring, and these men had managed to avoid cleaning the bathroom floor since the very first day of the school year.

As the floor became more and more disgusting, it became obvious there was only one logical remedy. Yep! No, no, not cleaning it. They got 2x4 boards and covered it! Now, if you stop listening right here, I don't blame you. But don't.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Cleanup or Cover-up."

Okay, covering your mess instead of cleaning your mess. That's not a new idea. People have been doing that with their sin for a very long time. Rather than facing that we've sinned against God and against others, we'd rather just conceal it.

There are lots of ways to put off reckoning with your sin. We can rationalize it, finding some skillful but hollow way to excuse what we're doing. We can try to minimize our sin or blame it on someone else. We can fool ourselves into thinking that if we can successfully cover it up, we're in the clear. But as our word for today from the Word of God says in Proverbs 28:13, "He who conceals his sins does not prosper."

And then there's this reality check from Proverbs: "A man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly" (Proverbs 5:21-23). Man, that reads like a commentary on the headlines that we may have seen about political, or financial, or athletic stars who thought they could cover it up rather than clean it up.

When the confession is ultimately forced by public discovery, you tend to hear words like "my inappropriate behavior" or "indiscretions" or "mistakes." You don't hear "sin." But there's no real healing, no real resolution, no real freedom, until we're willing to own our actions for what they are - the trampling of the moral law of a holy God and the people we selfishly wound in the process.

King David was powerful enough to temporarily conceal his blatant adultery with the wife of a trusted friend. But he couldn't hide it from his own conscience or his God. He wrote: "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand (talking about God) was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer." Sinful secrets just eat away at us like a metastasizing cancer.

But David found the cure. He said, "Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.'" Then he declares the liberating result of finally coming clean: "And You forgave the guilt of my sin...blessed is he whose sins are forgiven...blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him" (Psalm 32:1-5). See, that's what's so transforming about bringing your sin to the cross where Jesus died to pay for it. That's where Jesus says, "I will remember your sins no more" (Hebrews 8:12). It's God's spiritual shower. We can finally experience the awesome feeling you haven't had for a long time if ever - clean!

If you've never been to Jesus to have a lifetime of sin forgiven, knowing how He died to pay for it, do it today. Tell Him, "Jesus, I'm Yours. What You did on the cross is my only hope." Go to our website. There's a lot there that will help you get this settled - ANewStory.com.

Coming clean with your sin is doing the hard thing. But covering it is so much harder and so much more expensive.

Mark 5:1-20 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Goodness and Severity - November 18, 2021

“Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God” (Romans 11:22 KJV). Goodness and severity. We can’t take one and disregard the other. God is good. Yet he is also severe.

God’s kindness? Often mentioned. His forgiveness? The theme of many sermons. Hymns that herald his mercy? Too many to count. But songs that acknowledge his wrath, that look forward to the day of retribution? Not so many.

Out of curiosity I compared the number of Scripture references on the two topics. God’s wrath is mentioned more than 150 times; his mercy, 32 times. To be sure, it is right to declare God’s goodness. But it is a mistake to dismiss God’s justice. He is gracious to those who trust him, but he is serious about punishing those who dismiss him.

Mark 5:1-20

The Madman

 They arrived on the other side of the sea in the country of the Gerasenes. As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him. He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him—he couldn’t be chained, couldn’t be tied down. He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him. Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones.

6-8 When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before him—then howled in protest, “What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing with me? I swear to God, don’t give me a hard time!” (Jesus had just commanded the tormenting evil spirit, “Out! Get out of the man!”)

9-10 Jesus asked him, “Tell me your name.”

He replied, “My name is Mob. I’m a rioting mob.” Then he desperately begged Jesus not to banish them from the country.

11-13 A large herd of pigs was grazing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged him, “Send us to the pigs so we can live in them.” Jesus gave the order. But it was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the sea and drowned.

14-15 Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country. Everyone wanted to see what had happened. They came up to Jesus and saw the madman sitting there wearing decent clothes and making sense, no longer a walking madhouse of a man.

16-17 Those who had seen it told the others what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs. At first they were in awe—and then they were upset, upset over the drowned pigs. They demanded that Jesus leave and not come back.

18-20 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the demon-delivered man begged to go along, but he wouldn’t let him. Jesus said, “Go home to your own people. Tell them your story—what the Master did, how he had mercy on you.” The man went back and began to preach in the Ten Towns area about what Jesus had done for him. He was the talk of the town.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Thursday, November 18, 2021

Today's Scripture
Ephesians 2:1–10
(NIV)

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,g 2 in which you used to liveh when you followed the ways of this worldi and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,j the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.k 3 All of us also lived among them at one time,l gratifying the cravings of our flesha m and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us,n God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressionso—it is by grace you have been saved.p 6 And God raised us up with Christq and seated us with himr in the heavenly realmss in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,t expressed in his kindnessu to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by gracev you have been saved,w through faithx—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works,y so that no one can boast.z 10 For we are God’s handiwork,a createdb in Christ Jesus to do good works,c which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Insight

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians offers an inexpressibly wonderful end-time vision that’s easy to miss, even though he repeatedly mentions it. While emphasizing the good things God has already done (2:1–6), he alludes to a far greater expression of grace that’s to be revealed “in the coming ages” (v. 7). This all-encompassing goal of history is “to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (1:10; see 20–22). It’s a reassuring and wonderful hope that Paul also refers to in other letters (Philippians 2:10–11; Colossians 1:20) and that the apostle John foresees in his revelation (Revelation 5:13–14). By: Mart DeHaan

God Heals Our Brokenness

By grace you have been saved, through faith.
Ephesians 2:8

Collin and his wife, Jordan, wandered through the craft store, looking for a picture to hang in their home. Collin thought he’d found just the right piece and called Jordan over to see it. On the right side of the ceramic artwork was the word grace. But the left side held two long cracks. “Well, it’s broken!” Jordan said as she started looking for an unbroken one on the shelf. But then Collin said, “No. That’s the point. We’re broken and then grace comes in—period.” They decided to purchase the one with the cracks. When they got to the checkout, the clerk exclaimed, “Oh, no, it’s broken!” “Yes, so are we,” Jordan whispered.

What does it mean to be a “broken” person? Someone defined it this way: A growing awareness that no matter how hard we try, our ability to make life work gets worse instead of better. It’s a recognition of our need for God and His intervention in our lives.

The apostle Paul talked about our brokenness in terms of being “dead in [our] transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). The answer to our need to be forgiven and changed comes in verses 4 and 5: “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive . . . . [It] is by grace [we] have been saved.”

God is willing to heal our brokenness with His grace when we admit, “I’m broken.” By:  Anne Cetas

Reflect & Pray

What brought you to your need to ask God to heal your brokenness? How do you need Him today?

God, thank You for being rich in mercy toward me! May I boast in You and Your gift of salvation through grace by faith.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Thursday, November 18, 2021

Winning into Freedom

If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. —John 8:36

If there is even a trace of individual self-satisfaction left in us, it always says, “I can’t surrender,” or “I can’t be free.” But the spiritual part of our being never says “I can’t”; it simply soaks up everything around it. Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin— we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience.

God pays no attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. His plan runs right through our natural life. We must see to it that we aid and assist God, and not stand against Him by saying, “I can’t do that.” God will not discipline us; we must discipline ourselves. God will not bring our “arguments…and every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)— we have to do it. Don’t say, “Oh, Lord, I suffer from wandering thoughts.” Don’t suffer from wandering thoughts. Stop listening to the tyranny of your individual natural life and win freedom into the spiritual life.

“If the Son makes you free….” Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage. The Savior has set us free from sin, but this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son. It is what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20 when he said, “I have been crucified with Christ….” His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him. “…you shall be free indeed”— free to the very core of your being; free from the inside to the outside. We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

Defenders of the faith are inclined to be bitter until they learn to walk in the light of the Lord. When you have learned to walk in the light of the Lord, bitterness and contention are impossible. Biblical Psychology, 199 R

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 8-10; Hebrews 13

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Thursday, November 18, 2021

Storming Home - #9094

It was the only kind of day they have at O'Hare Airport - busy. It was August, and I was one of the thousands of passengers there who had plans and schedules, things we had to do, places we had to be. But, as far as I know, none of us made it. No, Chicago had a record-breaking storm that day - over nine inches of rain. There was massive flooding, in fact so much that the airport was literally flooded closed. That created an interesting dynamic with no one able to come in or go out. It was sort of like Camp O'Hare all of a sudden. Many of us spent the day trying to find either a way out, or a phone to call out, or a place to spend the night. It was before cell phones, and it was a few years ago and that's why we didn't have all the technology to contact somebody. Virtually no one did what he or she had planned to do that day. Oh no! Our plans didn't go through all because of one storm! The rich, the poor, the powerful, the famous, the unknown, the young, the old - didn't matter. Suddenly your destiny was out of your control. You know what? Storms will do that to you.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Storming Home."

It's not uncommon for life's hard times to be portrayed in Scripture as storms. And that's appropriate because storms are often situations where you have no control over your outcome. Like all of us up-ended passengers that day at O' Hare Airport. Maybe like the situation you're in right now: medically, financially, maybe it's your family, your business, your ministry. It's "out-of-control" time. It's storm time.

Our Word for today from the Word of God comes from the Old Testament book of Nahum 1:3. It's this wonderful anchor verse buried in one of those often-neglected Minor Prophet books in the Old Testament. "The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and the storm." Out of control? Yours, yes. His, no.

Paul experienced that in a dramatic incident that's recorded in Acts 27. He was being transported from Israel to Rome, by ship and under Roman guard. But their ship was hit by a hurricane-like storm that battered them for two weeks! They had to throw their valuable cargo overboard, much of their equipment, and they didn't see the sun, moon or stars for two weeks! They had no way to navigate, no way to know where they were headed. Paul describes them as just being "carried along." That sense of having no control of where you're going; does that sound painfully familiar?

Here's the exciting part. When they were finally driven aground, they ended up on the island of Malta. You know where that is? It's just south of Rome. All the time that they had apparently been out-of-control, they were essentially right on course. So are you.

That's what the prophet meant when he said, "The Lord has His way in the storm." Your situation - out-of-control, but it's in God's control. In fact, God uses these stormy times in powerful ways to show you how much you need Him, how much you can rely on Him, to draw you closer to anchor people in your life, to help you see sin that you otherwise would never face, to ask questions you otherwise would never ask, to make changes you'd otherwise would never consider. And that's how He brings you safely then to your destination.

Maybe the winds in your life are intensifying right now. You can't find the things that you've always navigated by and the flood of your frustration, your fear rising. Listen, everything is under control. If you relax, if you let go and let God; you let God navigate, you're in for a wonderful surprise when the storm passes. That storm that blew you around so violently was actually blowing you home.

Leviticus 2 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Our God Is a Just God - November 17, 2021

Belshazzar became king of Babylon in 539 BC. In a fateful feast, he ordered the holy implements taken from the temple in Jerusalem be used as wine goblets. Why? The king wanted to blaspheme the God of Israel. His irreverence did not go unnoticed.

Out of the sleeve of the night, a mysterious hand came into view. The finger of the hand carved a message into the plaster.  Belshazzar trembled so much he collapsed. His astrologers and diviners could not interpret the message, so Daniel was summoned.

At the precise moment he was explaining the prophecy of the end of the king’s reign, the Medo-Persian armies were preparing to take the city. The takeover was fast. The mighty nation of Babylon collapsed; Belshazzar was killed. Our God is a just God.

Leviticus  2

Grain-Offering

“When you present a Grain-Offering to God, use fine flour. Pour oil on it, put incense on it, and bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. One of them will take a handful of the fine flour and oil, with all the incense, and burn it on the Altar for a memorial: a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God. The rest of the Grain-Offering is for Aaron and his sons—a most holy part of the Fire-Gifts to God.

4 “When you present a Grain-Offering of oven-baked loaves, use fine flour, mixed with oil but no yeast. Or present wafers made without yeast and spread with oil.

5-6 “If you bring a Grain-Offering cooked on a griddle, use fine flour mixed with oil but without yeast. Crumble it and pour oil on it—it’s a Grain-Offering.

7 “If you bring a Grain-Offering deep-fried in a pan, make it of fine flour with oil.

8-10 “Bring the Grain-Offering you make from these ingredients and present it to the priest. He will bring it to the Altar, break off a memorial piece from the Grain-Offering, and burn it on the Altar: a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God. The rest of the Grain-Offering is for Aaron and his sons—a most holy part of the gifts to God.

11-13 “All the Grain-Offerings that you present to God must be made without yeast; you must never burn any yeast or honey as a Fire-Gift to God. You may offer them to God as an offering of firstfruits but not on the Altar as a pleasing fragrance. Season every presentation of your Grain-Offering with salt. Don’t leave the salt of the covenant with your God out of your Grain-Offerings. Present all your offerings with salt.

14-16 “If you present a Grain-Offering of firstfruits to God, bring crushed heads of the new grain roasted. Put oil and incense on it—it’s a Grain-Offering. The priest will burn some of the mixed grain and oil with all the incense as a memorial—a Fire-Gift to God.”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion    
Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Today's Scripture
Isaiah 43:1–4
(NIV)

Israel’s Only Savior

43 But now, this is what the Lord says—

he who createdv you, Jacob,

he who formedw you, Israel:x

“Do not fear, for I have redeemedy you;

I have summoned you by name;z you are mine.a

2 When you pass through the waters,b

I will be with you;c

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,d

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.e

3 For I am the Lord your God,f

the Holy Oneg of Israel, your Savior;h

I give Egypti for your ransom,

Cusha j and Sebak in your stead.l

4 Since you are precious and honoredm in my sight,

and because I loven you,

I will give people in exchange for you,

nations in exchange for your life.

Insight

Against the backdrop of an imminent Assyrian invasion (Isaiah 7:18–25; 10:5–6) and the future Babylonian destruction and exile (39:6–7), God reminded the people of Judah that as His chosen people, they had a special relationship with Him (43:1). He also assured them of His love and protection through a self-revelation of who He is (vv. 1–7). Because they’re greatly loved by God, their Creator and Redeemer (v. 1), Protector (v. 2), and Savior (v. 3), they need not fear the invading Assyrians or the Babylonians (vv. 4–5). In calling God “the Holy One of Israel” (v. 3), Isaiah’s common designation for God (see 1:4; 10:20; 12:6; 30:12; 60:14), Isaiah extolled God’s complete holiness (see 6:3). Though God’s people remained unfaithful and unrepentant (43:22–24), God in His mercy had purposed to forgive them their sins (v. 25). Although they’d be forgiven, they’d still be disciplined through the Babylonian exile (v. 28). By: K. T. Sim

Accepted and Approved

You are precious and honored in my sight . . . . I love you.
Isaiah 43:4

As a child, Tenny felt insecure. He sought approval from his father, but he never received it. It seemed that whatever he did, whether in school or at home, it was never good enough. Even when he entered adulthood, the insecurity remained. He continually wondered, Am I good enough?

Only when Tenny received Jesus as his Savior did he find the security and approval he’d long yearned for. He learned that God—having created him—loved and cherished him as His son. Tenny finally could live with the confidence that he was truly valued and appreciated.

In Isaiah 43:1–4, God told His chosen people that, having formed them, He would use His power and love to redeem them. “You are precious and honored in my sight,” He proclaimed. He would act on their behalf because He loved them (v. 4).

The value God places on those He loves doesn’t come from anything we do, but from the simple and powerful truth that He’s chosen us to be His own.

These words in Isaiah 43 not only gave Tenny great security, but also empowered him with the confidence to do his best for God in whatever task he was called to do. Today he’s a pastor who does all he can to encourage others with this life-giving truth: we’re accepted and approved in Jesus. May we confidently live out this truth today. By:  Leslie Koh

Reflect & Pray

How do you think God sees you? What does John 1:12 tell you about your relationship with Him? What comfort do you find in that knowledge?

Heavenly Father, I know You love me, accept me, and cherish me. Thank You for adopting me as Your child and loving me without conditions.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, November 17, 2021

The Eternal Goal

By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing…I will bless you… —Genesis 22:16-17

Abraham, at this point, has reached where he is in touch with the very nature of God. He now understands the reality of God.

My goal is God Himself…
At any cost, dear Lord, by any road.

“At any cost…by any road” means submitting to God’s way of bringing us to the goal.

There is no possibility of questioning God when He speaks, if He speaks to His own nature in me. Prompt obedience is the only result. When Jesus says, “Come,” I simply come; when He says, “Let go,” I let go; when He says, “Trust God in this matter,” I trust. This work of obedience is the evidence that the nature of God is in me.

God’s revelation of Himself to me is influenced by my character, not by God’s character.

’Tis because I am ordinary,
Thy ways so often look ordinary to me.

It is through the discipline of obedience that I get to the place where Abraham was and I see who God is. God will never be real to me until I come face to face with Him in Jesus Christ. Then I will know and can boldly proclaim, “In all the world, my God, there is none but Thee, there is none but Thee.”

The promises of God are of no value to us until, through obedience, we come to understand the nature of God. We may read some things in the Bible every day for a year and they may mean nothing to us. Then, because we have been obedient to God in some small detail, we suddenly see what God means and His nature is instantly opened up to us. “All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen…” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Our “Yes” must be born of obedience; when by obedience we ratify a promise of God by saying, “Amen,” or, “So be it.” That promise becomes ours.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it.

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 5-7; Hebrews 12

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Every once in a while another turf fight breaks out in places like New York City, and it's not between rival youth gangs. Let's say, the police department and the fire department. There's kind of a competitiveness there. They'll clash over whose job is whose.

A while back there was a commuter helicopter that crashed in the East River. I've never forgotten this incident, it was haunting. The passengers were trapped in that helicopter underwater. And here's what the news reported, "Some police divers arrived on the scene first, and they went right to work. Minutes later, nine divers arrived from the fire department all suited up ready to go, and the police supervisor said, 'We got it covered. It's our territory; don't worry about it.'" You know what? Fve passengers were rescued that day, but one man died. He was strapped under water for an hour and a half while nine possible rescuers stood on the dock and watched, apparently because of a battle over turf.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Losing Over Turf."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Corinthians 1. The Apostle Paul says, "I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you agree with one another, so that there may be no division among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, 'I follow Paul.' Another, 'I follow Apollos.' Another, 'I follow Cephas.' Still another, 'I follow Christ.'"

Sound like turf? The church was divided into turf and well, I'm afraid nothing has changed. Today our turf is denomination, or our organization, or my church versus your church. "We're charismatic." "We're not. We're against that." Or even a personal empire that someone is building in Jesus' name. Or, "Who will get the credit?" "Is my name next to that in the bulletin?" "Are you going to announce who did this?"

Paul brings them back to the real issue in verses 17 and 18, "Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel. Not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. But to those who are being saved, it is the power of God." Paul says, "Guys, people are dying because they don't understand what happened on the cross. How can you waste time arguing with yourselves?"

A man died there in New York on the East River that day while the rescuers argued over territory. But don't we do that? We're so concerned about losing our members, or our contributions, or our credit. And all that really matters is that we're losing the people around us to a Christ-less eternity. Two factors that really matter: number one, the lostness of our neighbors, and number two, the message of the cross. Those two essentials are bigger than any of our differences, any of our labels, any of our empires, or any of our egos.

Maybe you and I have cared too much about our group and our glory. And while we're building our little kingdoms and our walls, people are dying spiritually. We need to get together if we're going to make a greater difference. Are we standing on the dock arguing? Or are we all in the river together, rescuing every person we can find? Time's running out!

Turf is for now; lost is forever. Dear Lord, may we never let the people around us be lost over turf.

Leviticus 1 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: The Wicked Will Not Win - November 16, 2021

Haman is the villain in the book of Esther. He lived inside a one-person world. Everyone else existed to bow down to him. Yet, his reign of terror came to an end in the dining hall of Xerxes.

The king asked Queen Esther what she desired. He’d asked this question before, and Esther had deferred. But now Esther said, “…grant me my life…And spare my people. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated” (Esther 7:3-4). The king asked who had done such a thing. Esther replied, “Our enemy and foe is this wicked Haman” (Esther 7:6)! The guards hooded Haman’s head and took him into custody.

Our God is a just God. Nothing escapes him. No one escapes him. The wicked will not win.

Leviticus 1

Whole-Burnt-Offering

God called Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting: “Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them, When anyone presents an offering to God, present an animal from either the herd or the flock.

3-9 “If the offering is a Whole-Burnt-Offering from the herd, present a male without a defect at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting that it may be accepted by God. Lay your hand on the head of the Whole-Burnt-Offering so that it may be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you. Slaughter the bull in God’s presence. Aaron’s sons, the priests, will make an offering of the blood by splashing it against all sides of the Altar that stands at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Next, skin the Whole-Burnt-Offering and cut it up. Aaron’s sons, the priests, will prepare a fire on the Altar, carefully laying out the wood, and then arrange the body parts, including the head and the suet, on the wood prepared for the fire on the Altar. Scrub the entrails and legs clean. The priest will burn it all on the Altar: a Whole-Burnt-Offering, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God.

10-13 “If the Whole-Burnt-Offering comes from the flock, whether sheep or goat, present a male without defect. Slaughter it on the north side of the Altar in God’s presence. The sons of Aaron, the priests, will throw the blood against all sides of the Altar. Cut it up and the priest will arrange the pieces, including the head and the suet, on the wood prepared for burning on the Altar. Scrub the entrails and legs clean. The priest will offer it all, burning it on the Altar: a Whole-Burnt-Offering, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God.

14-17 “If a bird is presented to God for the Whole-Burnt-Offering it can be either a dove or a pigeon. The priest will bring it to the Altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the Altar. But he will first drain the blood on the side of the Altar, remove the gizzard and its contents, and throw them on the east side of the Altar where the ashes are piled. Then rip it open by its wings but leave it in one piece and burn it on the Altar on the wood prepared for the fire: a Whole-Burnt-Offering, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God.”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion    
Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Today's Scripture
Luke 5:1–11
(NIV)

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,a the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.v 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.w

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”x

5 Simon answered, “Master,y we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.z But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.a 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”b 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid;c from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him

Insight

Luke 5:1–11 contains the first of two similar fishing stories that frame Jesus’ earthly interaction with Simon Peter. In this account, Peter immediately recognized he’d encountered someone holy (v. 8). It’s also the moment Jesus called Peter as a disciple (v. 10). Three years later, Peter betrayed Christ (22:54–62). Believing everything was over, he returned to his old life as a fisherman. Then a second miraculous catch of fish took place. Again, Peter realized it was Jesus (John 21:1–7). The first miracle was God’s call on Peter’s life; the second brought restoration and a reaffirmation of that call (vv. 15–19). By: Tim Gustafson

Our True Identity

Jesus said . . . , “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
Luke 5:10

First, the man selected a tackle box. Standing in his town’s small bait shop, he then filled a shopping cart with hooks, lures, bobbers, line, and weights. Finally, he added live bait and selected a new rod and reel. “Ever fished before?” the shop owner asked. The man said no. “Better add this,” said the owner. It was a first-aid kit. The man agreed and paid, then headed off to a day of not catching a thing—except snags on his fingers from his hooks and gear.

That wasn’t Simon Peter’s problem. An experienced fisherman, he was surprised one dawn when Jesus told him to push his boat into deep water and “let down the nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4). Despite a long night of catching nothing, Simon and his crew let down their nets and “caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.” In fact, his two boats started to sink from the haul (v. 6).

Seeing this, Simon Peter “fell at Jesus’ knees,” urging Him to “go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (v. 8). Jesus, however, knew Simon’s true identity. He told His disciple, “From now on you will fish for people.” Hearing that, Simon “left everything and followed” Christ (vv. 10–11). When we follow Him, He helps us learn who we are and what we’re called to do as His own. By:  Patricia Raybon

Reflect & Pray

Outside of Jesus, what’s your identity or role in life? When you follow Him, how does your identity change?

Father, when I struggle to know my true identity, remind me to follow You to discover in You my true self.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Still Human!

…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. —1 Corinthians 10:31

In the Scriptures, the great miracle of the incarnation slips into the ordinary life of a child; the great miracle of the transfiguration fades into the demon-possessed valley below; the glory of the resurrection descends into a breakfast on the seashore. This is not an anticlimax, but a great revelation of God.

We have a tendency to look for wonder in our experience, and we mistake heroic actions for real heroes. It’s one thing to go through a crisis grandly, yet quite another to go through every day glorifying God when there is no witness, no limelight, and no one paying even the remotest attention to us. If we are not looking for halos, we at least want something that will make people say, “What a wonderful man of prayer he is!” or, “What a great woman of devotion she is!” If you are properly devoted to the Lord Jesus, you have reached the lofty height where no one would ever notice you personally. All that is noticed is the power of God coming through you all the time.

We want to be able to say, “Oh, I have had a wonderful call from God!” But to do even the most humbling tasks to the glory of God takes the Almighty God Incarnate working in us. To be utterly unnoticeable requires God’s Spirit in us making us absolutely humanly His. The true test of a saint’s life is not successfulness but faithfulness on the human level of life. We tend to set up success in Christian work as our purpose, but our purpose should be to display the glory of God in human life, to live a life “hidden with Christ in God” in our everyday human conditions (Colossians 3:3). Our human relationships are the very conditions in which the ideal life of God should be exhibited.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

The great point of Abraham’s faith in God was that he was prepared to do anything for God.
Not Knowing Whither

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 3-4; Hebrews 11:20-40

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Nuisance Or Need? - #9092

Life has a lot of disrupting sounds, huh? And you can learn to tune a lot of them out: sirens screaming, telephones ringing, TVs blaring, trains rumbling. But there's one sound almost impossible to ignore - a baby's crying. If there's a baby in your house and he starts crying, what should you do? Just yell, "Nuisance!" and shut the door? Turn up the music? Yell back? Not unless you're a hopeless rookie at handling babies. No, you know the crying isn't the problem. It's what's causing the crying. Pointing at the baby and saying, "Stop that!" probably isn't going to make a lot of difference. See, the crying isn't going to stop until their little tummy is filled ... or until he gets the relief that only a good burp can give ... or until you get the baby out of that mess. Yep, the crying is a nuisance, but the need behind the crying - that's the real issue.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Nuisance Or Need?"

Our Word for today comes from the Word of God from Luke 18:35. "As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting at the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, 'Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.' He called out, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'"

"Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to Him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' 'Lord, I want to see,' he replied." The Bible goes on to tell us that he received his sight and he followed Jesus. And all the people who had been trying to get this nuisance to shut up, started praising God for what He had done.

When the people of Jericho saw this blind man, they saw a nuisance, and they told him, "Stop crying, man!" You and I are surrounded by people who are crying, not with the howls of a baby, but they cry with their actions, with their attitude. Frankly, some of the people in our world, even in our family, seem like a nuisance sometimes, don't they?

But where others see a nuisance, Jesus sees a need! He goes to the need behind the blind man's crying. Now, in your life there are obnoxious people, right? There are mean people, folks who demand a lot of your time and attention; complainers; problem people. Honestly, there are people, who for one reason or another, well, you'd just like to close the door on like almost everyone else has.

And you will unless you see them through the eyes of Jesus. Then you'll see the need behind the deeds, like a mother who looks past a baby's crying to find out where it hurts. Usually, a person is a nuisance because he or she has needs no one has ever stopped to meet. Would you do what Jesus did for this annoying blind man? Would you stop for that person?

They may need someone who takes time to listen to them, someone who makes them feel safe, who praises the good in them, someone to notice them and treat them like they matter. They're crying out for someone who will reach inside and find out what's making them bleed, who will include them. That crying person is a hurting person - a wounded person, but you can be part of God's healing in that person's life.

God's put us here to do what Jesus would do if He were in that situation. He's assigned you to a place where there are some hurting people, people who are crying because they need someone to get at the need that's been making them cry maybe for a long time. Would you be their Jesus-person? When others see a nuisance, you look for the need and you stop to heal them like your Jesus.