Luke 21:1-19 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Spiritual Life Comes from the Spirit - July 5, 2022

“Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit” (John 3:6 NCV). Think about that – spiritual life comes from the Spirit. Your parents may have given you genes, but God gives you grace. Your parents may be responsible for your body, but God has taken charge of your soul. You get your eternity from your heavenly Father.

God is willing to give you what your family didn’t. Did not have a good father? God will be your Father. God has not left you adrift on a sea of heredity. You cannot control the way your forefathers responded to God. But you can control the way you respond to him. You have a choice in the path you take. Choose well, and someday—generations from now—your grandchildren and great-grandchildren will thank God for the seeds you sowed.

Luke 21:1-19

 Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, “The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all!”
Watch Out for Doomsday Deceivers

5-6 One day people were standing around talking about the Temple, remarking how beautiful it was, the splendor of its stonework and memorial gifts. Jesus said, “All this you’re admiring so much—the time is coming when every stone in that building will end up in a heap of rubble.”

7 They asked him, “Teacher, when is this going to happen? What clue will we get that it’s about to take place?”

8-9 He said, “Watch out for the doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, ‘I’m the One,’ or, ‘The end is near.’ Don’t fall for any of that. When you hear of wars and uprisings, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history and no sign of the end.”

10-11 He went on, “Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Huge earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. You’ll think at times that the very sky is falling.

12-15 “But before any of this happens, they’ll arrest you, hunt you down, and drag you to court and jail. It will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name. You’ll end up on the witness stand, called to testify. Make up your mind right now not to worry about it. I’ll give you the words and wisdom that will reduce all your accusers to stammers and stutters.

16-19 “You’ll even be turned in by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. Some of you will be killed. There’s no telling who will hate you because of me. Even so, every detail of your body and soul—even the hairs of your head!—is in my care; nothing of you will be lost. Staying with it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Tuesday, July 05, 2022

Today's Scripture
Proverbs 2:1–11

Make Insight Your Priority

1–5     2 Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you;

collect my counsels and guard them with your life.

Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom;

set your heart on a life of Understanding.

That’s right—if you make Insight your priority,

and won’t take no for an answer,

Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold,

like an adventurer on a treasure hunt,

Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours;

you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God.

6–8     And here’s why: God gives out Wisdom free,

is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding.

He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well,

a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere.

He keeps his eye on all who live honestly,

and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.

9–15     So now you can pick out what’s true and fair,

find all the good trails!

Lady Wisdom will be your close friend,

and Brother Knowledge your pleasant companion.

Good Sense will scout ahead for danger,

Insight will keep an eye out for you.

Insight

The book of Proverbs helps us understand theology—the nature of wisdom as centered in God—and also guides us toward practical skill in living. From an ethical standpoint, this leads to flourishing not only for the individual but also for the community. The proverbs of the Bible help guide us toward wise attitudes and behavior and away from foolish ones. Some of the insights found in this book include: relationships (6:16–19), sexual ethics (6:24–29), listening to advice (9:7–9), work ethics (10:4–5), business ethics (11:1, 24–26), planning (16:1–3, 9, 33), dealing with authority (23:1–3), the misuse of alcohol (23:29–35); relationships with friends/neighbors (24:28–29; 27:17), conflict (26:17, 20–21), anger (27:3–4), taking care of the vulnerable (28:27), and the danger of pride (29:23).

Adapted from Understanding the Bible: The Wisdom Books.

Wisdom and Understanding

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:6

In 1373, when Julian of Norwich was thirty years old, she became ill and nearly died. When her minister prayed with her, she experienced a number of visions in which she considered Jesus’ crucifixion. After miraculously recovering her health, she spent the next twenty years living in solitude in a side room of the church, praying over and thinking through the experience. She concluded that “love was his meaning”; that is, that Christ’s sacrifice is the supreme manifestation of God’s love.

Julian’s revelations are famous, but what people often overlook is the time and effort she spent prayerfully working out what God revealed to her. In those two decades, she sought to discern what this experience of His presence meant as she asked Him for His wisdom and help.

As He did with Julian, God graciously reveals Himself to His people, such as through the words of the Bible; through His still, small voice; through a refrain of a hymn; or even just an awareness of His presence. When this happens, we can seek His wisdom and help. This wisdom is what King Solomon instructed his son to pursue, saying he should turn his ear to wisdom and apply his heart to understanding (Proverbs 2:2). Then he would “find the knowledge of God” (v. 5).

God promises to give us discernment and understanding. As we grow in a deeper knowledge of His character and ways, we can honor and understand Him more.

By:  Amy Boucher Pye

Reflect & Pray

How does God reveal Himself to you most often? When He does, how do you come to understand what He’s revealed?

Gracious God, help me to grow in Your wisdom.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, July 05, 2022

Don’t Plan Without God

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. —Psalm 37:5

Don’t plan without God. God seems to have a delightful way of upsetting the plans we have made, when we have not taken Him into account. We get ourselves into circumstances that were not chosen by God, and suddenly we realize that we have been making our plans without Him— that we have not even considered Him to be a vital, living factor in the planning of our lives. And yet the only thing that will keep us from even the possibility of worrying is to bring God in as the greatest factor in all of our planning.

In spiritual issues it is customary for us to put God first, but we tend to think that it is inappropriate and unnecessary to put Him first in the practical, everyday issues of our lives. If we have the idea that we have to put on our “spiritual face” before we can come near to God, then we will never come near to Him. We must come as we are.

Don’t plan with a concern for evil in mind. Does God really mean for us to plan without taking the evil around us into account? “Love…thinks no evil” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). Love is not ignorant of the existence of evil, but it does not take it into account as a factor in planning. When we were apart from God, we did take evil into account, doing all of our planning with it in mind, and we tried to reason out all of our work from its standpoint.

Don’t plan with a rainy day in mind. You cannot hoard things for a rainy day if you are truly trusting Christ. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled…” (John 14:1). God will not keep your heart from being troubled. It is a command— “Let not….” To do it, continually pick yourself up, even if you fall a hundred and one times a day, until you get into the habit of putting God first and planning with Him in mind.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

A fanatic is one who entrenches himself in invincible ignorance. Baffled to Fight Better, 59 R

Bible in a Year: Job 30-31; Acts 13:26-52

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, July 05, 2022

Parents Who Are Always Right - #9257

Over the years when the Hutchcraft family moved into a motel room for a night we had the same experience: we walk in, the room is all neat and tidy. The five Hutchcrafts are there and all the work that the room fairy did to make the room neat is destroyed in a matter of minutes. See, each person has unpacked their clothes which some put in drawers, most just start littering the beds and the chairs. And as people start using the sink, that becomes chaotic too! We've got brushes and drinking cups and various toiletries, hopelessly intermingled. Now, look, I'm a firstborn. I value order, you know, and this drives me nuts. So I developed a simple system, well at least to make it clear which was my stuff. I announced that my things would always be on the right; the cup on the right was my cup, the toothbrush on the right was my toothbrush, the towel on the right was my towel. And how do you expect your family to always remember that you might ask. Well, I gave them a simple motto to remember, one that I thought would serve them well for years to come, I just simply said, "Remember guys, Dad is always right!"

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Parents Who Are Always Right."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Ephesians 6:4. It's a parent's verse. It says, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Now, that word "exasperate" is interesting. It's ex-asperate. It's like you're out of oxygen. You're ex aspirated. It's when your kids are going (deep breathing), "Mom! Dad!" I mean, you've really frustrated them. And few things are more exasperating than a parent who says, or acts like, "I'm always right." That kind of parent seldom listens, seldom if ever apologizes, seldom makes a child feel competent, or confident, or adequate, or worthwhile. Now, my use of that phrase, "Dad is always right" was meant to create some order. When a parent is serious about always having to come out right, that does anything but create order. It creates terrible frustration, anger and seething rebellion.

Now, you may have grown up around a parent who never could admit he or she was wrong. Did that make you respect them more or less? Someone who insists on always being right actually loses the very respect they're trying to maintain. A healthy human being doesn't care who was right, they only care what is right. I've had to kneel by the bed of a five-year-old son and say, "Son, I'm sorry for what I said to you and what I said to your Mom, would you please forgive me?" Now, he knew I was wrong, my wife knew I was wrong, I knew I was wrong, but I had to admit it in order for there to be healing.

James 5:16 says, "Confess your faults to one another, pray for each other so you may be healed." Do you know how many marriages could have been saved if someone could have been wrong? How many children could have been saved if someone could have admitted they were wrong? There's awesome healing power in those three words, "I was wrong." There's even more in three other words, "Please forgive me."

I remember the night that Ed finally told his daughter Sandy that he'd been wrong. It was in the emergency room. They were pumping Sandy's stomach to save her life when they told her she had overdosed. And that night Ed said, "I've been copying my father Sandy. I've been doing some of the same things he did that hurt me, and I've been wrong. Would you please forgive me?" And she did. And a new relationship was born between Sandy and her father on the night she almost died.

Don't wait for the emergency room, or the explosion, or the rebellion. You see, Dad isn't always right. Mom isn't always right. And in spite of my motel room motto, we're wrong sometimes. Don't be too proud to admit it. Because the price for that kind of pride is just too high to pay.

Psalm 59, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Josiah - July 4, 2022

“In Josiah’s eighteenth year as king, he sent Shaphan…to repair the Temple of the Lord, the God of Josiah” (2 Chronicles 34:8 NCV).

Josiah had found the God of David and made him his own. As the temple was being rebuilt, a worker happened upon a scroll. It contained the words of God given to Moses nearly a thousand years earlier. Josiah wept that his people had drifted so far from God that his Word was not a part of their lives. A prophetess told Josiah that since he had repented when he heard the words, his nation would be spared the anger of God. An entire generation received grace because of the integrity of one man.

Could it be that God placed him on earth for that one reason? And could it be that God has placed you on earth for the same?

Psalm 59

 My God! Rescue me from my enemies,
    defend me from these mutineers.
Rescue me from their dirty tricks,
    save me from their hit men.

3-4
Desperadoes have ganged up on me,
    they’re hiding in ambush for me.
I did nothing to deserve this, God,
    crossed no one, wronged no one.
All the same, they’re after me,
    determined to get me.

4-5
Wake up and see for yourself! You’re God,
    God-of-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God!
Get on the job and take care of these pagans,
    don’t be soft on these hard cases.

6-7
    They return when the sun goes down,
    They howl like coyotes, ringing the city.
    Then suddenly they’re all at the gate,
    Snarling invective, drawn daggers in their teeth.
    They think they’ll never get caught.

8-10
But you, God, break out laughing;
    you treat the godless nations like jokes.
Strong God, I’m watching you do it,
    I can always count on you.
God in dependable love shows up on time,
    shows me my enemies in ruin.

11-13
Don’t make quick work of them, God,
    lest my people forget.
Bring them down in slow motion,
    take them apart piece by piece.
Let all their mean-mouthed arrogance
    catch up with them,
Catch them out and bring them down
    —every muttered curse
    —every barefaced lie.
Finish them off in fine style!
    Finish them off for good!
Then all the world will see
    that God rules well in Jacob,
    everywhere that God’s in charge.

14-15
    They return when the sun goes down,
    They howl like coyotes, ringing the city.
    They scavenge for bones,
    And bite the hand that feeds them.

16-17
And me? I’m singing your prowess,
    shouting at dawn your largesse,
For you’ve been a safe place for me,
    a good place to hide.
Strong God, I’m watching you do it,
    I can always count on you—
    God, my dependable love.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Monday, July 04, 2022
Today's Scripture
John 15:9–17

    “I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.

11–15     “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.

16     “You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.

17     “But remember the root command: Love one another.

Insight

Jesus’ teachings about life “in [Him]” (John 15:4) flow from His teachings about the Spirit (14:15–21). Through the Spirit sent from God to live “with” and “in” believers in Jesus (v. 17), they experience the intimate joy of the Father and Son’s love for them (v. 21). Through the Spirit drawing us into the love, joy, and abundant life of the triune God, we’re empowered to keep Christ’s commands (v. 21)—namely, to love as Jesus has loved us (15:12). Biblical scholar Rodney Whitacre says it beautifully: “The obedience Jesus is talking about is an obedience not to societal rules, but to the Father who is all love. To obey him is to conform one’s life to the very pattern of God’s own life . . . which is characterized by harmony, grace, goodness and beauty. We are in intimate union with him and swept up into his dance for which we were created.”

Discover what it means to be alive with Christ. By: Monica La Rose

No Greater Love

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:13

Commemorations of the seventy-fifth anniversary of D-Day in 2019 honored the more than 156,000 troops who took part in the largest seaborne invasion in history to liberate Western Europe. In his prayer broadcast over the radio on June 6, 1944, President Roosevelt asked for God’s protection, praying, “They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate.”

A willingness to put one’s self in harm’s way to restrain evil and liberate the oppressed brings to mind Jesus’ words: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). These words come in the midst of Christ teaching His followers to love each other. But He wanted them to understand the cost and depth of this type of love: a love exemplified when one willingly sacrifices his or her life for another person. Jesus’ call to sacrificially love others is the basis of His command to “love each other” (v. 17).

Perhaps we could show sacrificial love by giving time to care for the needs of an aging family member. We could put the needs of a sibling first by doing their chores during a stressful week at school. We might even take extra shifts with a sick child to allow our spouse to sleep. As we sacrificially love others, we demonstrate the greatest expression of love.

Reflect & Pray

What is one way you could demonstrate sacrificial love today? What holds you back from loving sacrificially?

Dear God, please help me to look for ways I can love others sacrificially each day.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, July 04, 2022
One of God’s Great “Don’ts”

Do not fret— it only causes harm. —Psalm 37:8

Fretting means getting ourselves “out of joint” mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say, “Do not fret,” but something very different to have such a nature that you find yourself unable to fret. It’s easy to say, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7) until our own little world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and agony like so many other people. Is it possible to “rest in the Lord” then? If this “Do not” doesn’t work there, then it will not work anywhere. This “Do not” must work during our days of difficulty and uncertainty, as well as our peaceful days, or it will never work. And if it will not work in your particular case, it will not work for anyone else. Resting in the Lord is not dependent on your external circumstances at all, but on your relationship with God Himself.

Worrying always results in sin. We tend to think that a little anxiety and worry are simply an indication of how wise we really are, yet it is actually a much better indication of just how wicked we are. Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God’s plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God.

Have you been propping up that foolish soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God to handle? Set all your opinions and speculations aside and “abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

The life of Abraham is an illustration of two things: of unreserved surrender to God, and of God’s complete possession of a child of His for His own highest end. Not Knowing Whither, 901 R

Bible in a Year: Job 28-29; Acts 13:1-25

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, July 04, 2022
Looking Christian - But Lost - #9256

I have two adult friends who own Princeton University sweatshirts. Al has one because he put in four very challenging years at the university and he graduated from there. And the other day I met a friend, Dave, at the grocery store, and he had his Princeton University sweatshirt on. I said, "I didn't know you went to Princeton?" Well, you know me; I get most of my exercise jumping to conclusions. No, he informed me that he had bought that shirt at a discount store for $12. He said, "Oh, I didn't go to Princeton, I just wear the shirt!"

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Looking Christian - But Lost."

Now, in Luke 6:46 Jesus is talking to believers, I think, and He says, "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord' and do not do the things that I say?" Now, you know, these folks had the right vocabulary; they knew to say "Lord" but something had happened to their commitment. It was just words.

My friend, Dave, who had just bought the shirt at the discount store, he hadn't really paid the price that goes with identifying with Princeton. Now, when Al, who graduated from there, wears the shirt, it's backed up by years of sacrifice and work. Maybe you're proud to wear Jesus' shirt, but you're not paying the price of living consistently for Him. You've got the shirt, but you've not got the life that backs it up.

You know, Alexander the Great was trying a young soldier in his tent who had been accused of cowardice, and he brought this young man in and he said, "Now, young man, what were you accused of?" And the soldier said, "Sir, desertion in battle." And Alexander leaned forward a little bit. He said, "What's your name?" And the young man very hesitantly said, "Sir, it's Alexander." And at that point the General leaped to his feet, pulled him up nose to nose and he said, "Young man, either you change your life, or you change your name!" Wow!

Now you're carrying, as a Christian, the name of Christ-the holy name of Christ-on your life. Make sure your life backs up the name you wear.

Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Matthew 7, and I'm going to begin reading at verse 21. I have to tell you, for me these are some of the most unsettling verses in the Bible. Jesus is speaking: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Oh, many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons, and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you." Man, those words have to be some of the most chilling words in the Bible, "I never knew you."

Now, if we want to go back to my friend who was just wearing the Princeton shirt, we might say spiritually here that these are the people who are not only wearing the shirt; they have a complete Christian wardrobe. In fact, it sounds like these may be Christian leaders who are before the Great White Throne Judgment, and they're going before the Lord. Some of them have worked for Him; they've preached and done miracles. These aren't just back pew sitters. Yet, Jesus is basically saying here that it isn't the one who says all the right words, "Lord, Lord." It's the one who does His will. And later He will say, "It is the will of my Father in heaven that everyone comes to Him through Me."

It's possible that you have Christianity but you've missed Christ; there's never been that

moment when you've personalized what He did on the cross. And every day you wait puts you deeper and deeper into the spiritual danger zone.

Someone listening today, you've got all the right words, you've got all the right beliefs, but you've never surrendered your heart and your will to Jesus. And that reality can be concealed until the day you see your Lord.

Listen, today make it real. Tell Jesus, "Finally I want to move You from my head to my heart. I don't want to just believe about You, I want to believe in You; I want to commit myself to You. Go to our website as soon as you can today. I think it will help you get this settled. It's ANewStory.com.

Is it possible you're wearing the shirt; you're encouraging others to wear the shirt that says "Found," but your heart is still lost? I urge you, put aside just wearing the shirt and let Jesus become part of your heart, not just your spiritual wardrobe.
 

Psalm 23, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: God's Not Finished With You

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

Psalm 23

God, my shepherd!
    I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
    you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath
    and send me in the right direction.

4
Even when the way goes through
    Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
    when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
    makes me feel secure.

5
You serve me a six-course dinner
    right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
    my cup brims with blessing.

6
Your beauty and love chase after me
    every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
    for the rest of my life.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion    
Sunday, July 03, 2022

Today's Scripture
Isaiah 11:1–5

A Green Shoot from Jesse’s Stump

1–5     11 A green Shoot will sprout from Jesse’s stump,

from his roots a budding Branch.

The life-giving Spirit of God will hover over him,

the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding,

The Spirit that gives direction and builds strength,

the Spirit that instills knowledge and Fear-of-God.

Fear-of-God

will be all his joy and delight.

He won’t judge by appearances,

won’t decide on the basis of hearsay.

He’ll judge the needy by what is right,

render decisions on earth’s poor with justice.

His words will bring everyone to awed attention.

A mere breath from his lips will topple the wicked.

Each morning he’ll pull on sturdy work clothes and boots,

and build righteousness and faithfulness in the land.

Insight

Isaiah 11:1 says, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” Jesse was the father of David, the shepherd who became Israel’s greatest king. Therefore, the Branch of Jesse referred to one who would descend from David’s line to rule. The genealogy of Matthew 1 makes it clear that Jesus would be the Branch (see v. 1). The Jewish people saw their long-awaited Messiah as the Son of David—a phrase repeatedly used by people Christ encountered in the Gospels. Most notably, we see this title given to Him during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (21:9–11), as the people cried out to Him, “Hosanna” (Lord save us). Indeed, Jesus would in a very few days go to the cross for that very purpose.

By: Bill Crowder

He Knows My Heart

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears.
Isaiah 11:3

After a customer at a grocery store self-checkout station had completed her transaction, I made my way to the station and proceeded to scan my goods. Unexpectedly, a visibly angry person confronted me. I’d failed to notice that she was actually next in line for checkout. Recognizing my mistake, I sincerely said, “I’m sorry.” She replied (though not limited to these words), “No, you’re not!”

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you were wrong, acknowledged it, and tried to make things right—only to be rebuffed? It doesn’t feel good to be misunderstood or misjudged, and the closer we are to those we offend or those who offend us, the more painful it is. How we wish they could see our hearts!

The prophet Isaiah’s snapshot in Isaiah 11:1–5 is that of a God-appointed ruler with wisdom for perfect judgment. “He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth” (vv. 3–4). This was fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus. Though in our sinfulness and weakness we don’t always get it right, we can take heart that the all-seeing, all-knowing God of heaven knows us fully and judges us rightly.

By:  Arthur Jackson

Reflect & Pray

When have you been misunderstood or misjudged? How does it encourage you to know that God sees and knows you fully, even when others don’t?

Father, thank You for knowing everything about me. Please forgive me when I’m harsh in my judgments of others.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Sunday, July 03, 2022

The Concentration of Personal Sin

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

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

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

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

To live a life alone with God does not mean that we live it apart from everyone else. The connection between godly men and women and those associated with them is continually revealed in the Bible, e.g., 1 Timothy 4:10.  Not Knowing Whither, 867 L

Bible in a Year: Job 25-27; Acts 12

1 Samuel 19, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Your Name on God's Hand

When I see a flock of sheep I see exactly that, a flock. A rabble of wool. I don't see a sheep. I see sheep. All alike. None different. But not so with the Shepherd. To him every sheep is different. Every face has a story.  John 10:3 says, "The sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name."

When we see a crowd, we see exactly that, a crowd. We see people, not persons. A herd of humans. But not so with the Shepherd. To him every face is different. Every face is a story. The Shepherd knows you. He knows your name. And he will never forget it.

1 Samuel 19

The Black Mood of Saul

Saul called his son Jonathan together with his servants and ordered them to kill David. But because Jonathan treasured David, he went and warned him: “My father is looking for a way to kill you. Here’s what you are to do. Tomorrow morning, hide and stay hidden. I’ll go out with my father into the field where you are hiding. I’ll talk about you with my father and we’ll see what he says. Then I’ll report back to you.”

4-5 Jonathan brought up David with his father, speaking well of him. “Please,” he said to his father, “don’t attack David. He hasn’t wronged you, has he? And just look at all the good he has done! He put his life on the line when he killed the Philistine. What a great victory God gave Israel that day! You were there. You saw it and were on your feet applauding with everyone else. So why would you even think of sinning against an innocent person, killing David for no reason whatever?”

6 Saul listened to Jonathan and said, “You’re right. As God lives, David lives. He will not be killed.”

7 Jonathan sent for David and reported to him everything that was said. Then he brought David back to Saul and everything was as it was before.

8 War broke out again and David went out to fight Philistines. He beat them badly, and they ran for their lives.

9-10 But then a black mood from God settled over Saul and took control of him. He was sitting at home, his spear in his hand, while David was playing music. Suddenly, Saul tried to skewer David with his spear, but David ducked. The spear stuck in the wall and David got away. It was night.

11-14 Saul sent men to David’s house to stake it out and then, first thing in the morning, to kill him. But Michal, David’s wife, told him what was going on. “Quickly now—make your escape tonight. If not, you’ll be dead by morning!” She let him out of a window, and he made his escape. Then Michal took a dummy god and put it in the bed, placed a wig of goat’s hair on its head, and threw a quilt over it. When Saul’s men arrived to get David, she said, “He’s sick in bed.”

15-16 Saul sent his men back, ordering them, “Bring him, bed and all, so I can kill him.” When the men entered the room, all they found in the bed was the dummy god with its goat-hair wig!

17 Saul stormed at Michal: “How could you play tricks on me like this? You sided with my enemy, and now he’s gotten away!”

18 Michal said, “He threatened me. He said, ‘Help me out of here or I’ll kill you.’”

David made good his escape and went to Samuel at Ramah and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel withdrew to the privacy of Naioth.

19-20 Saul was told, “David’s at Naioth in Ramah.” He immediately sent his men to capture him. They saw a band of prophets prophesying with Samuel presiding over them. Before they knew it, the Spirit of God was on them, too, and they were ranting and raving right along with the prophets!

21 That was reported back to Saul, and he dispatched more men. They, too, were soon prophesying. So Saul tried a third time—a third set of men—and they ended up mindlessly raving as well!

22 Fed up, Saul went to Ramah himself. He came to the big cistern at Secu and inquired, “Where are Samuel and David?”

A bystander said, “Over at Naioth in Ramah.”

23-24 As he headed out for Naioth in Ramah, the Spirit of God was on him, too. All the way to Naioth he was caught up in a babbling trance! He ripped off his clothes and lay there rambling gibberish before Samuel for a day and a night, stretched out naked. People are still talking about it: “Saul among the prophets! Who would have guessed?”

Our Daily Bread:

Today's Scripture:

Ephesians 4:4–16 

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

7–13  But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift. The text for this is,

He climbed the high mountain,

He captured the enemy and seized the booty,

He handed it all out in gifts to the people.

Is it not true that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth? And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.

14–16  No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.

Insight

In Ephesians 4:11–16, the apostle Paul defined the pattern for the life of the church. God has given gifted leaders to the church—not for the purpose of doing the work of ministry, but for the purpose of equipping the people so that they can do the work of the ministry. Notice verses 11–12: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” This is a different approach from what we often see in our churches today.

By: Bill Crowder

Surviving and Thriving

The whole body . . . grows and builds itself up in love.

Ephesians 4:16

The Croods, an animated caveman family, believe that “the only way to survive is if the pack [their small family] stays together.” They’re afraid of the world and others, so when looking for a safe place to live they’re filled with fear after discovering a strange family already in the area they’ve chosen. But they soon learn to embrace the differences of their new neighbors, draw strength from them, and survive together. They find that they actually enjoy them and that they do need others to live life fully.

It can be risky to be in relationship—people can and do hurt us. Yet it’s for good reason God put His people together in a body, the church. In fellowship with others, we grow to maturity (Ephesians 4:13). We learn to depend on Him to help us be “humble and gentle” and “patient” (v. 2). We help each other by building each other up “in love” (v. 16). When we gather together, we use our gifts and learn from others who use theirs, which in turn equips us in our walk with God and service for Him.

As He leads you, look for your place among God’s people if you haven’t found it yet. You’ll do more than survive; in shared love you’ll bring honor to God and grow to be more like Jesus. And may we all depend on Him as we walk through a growing relationship with Jesus and others.

By:  Anne Cetas

Reflect & Pray

Who are you walking through life with? How might you more deeply develop those relationships?

I love being a part of Your family, God. Help me fill my place well so that I might grow and help others to know You better.

Learn about how you relate to others.

My Utmost  for His Highest:

The Conditions of Discipleship

By Oswald Chambers

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

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

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

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

There is nothing, naturally speaking, that makes us lose heart quicker than decay—the decay of bodily beauty, of natural life, of friendship, of associations, all these things make a man lose heart; but Paul says when we are trusting in Jesus Christ these things do not find us discouraged, light comes through them.  The Place of Help, 1032 L

Bible in a Year: Job 22-24; Acts 11

Luke 20:27-47 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: CHOOSE YOUR MENTORS - July 1, 2022

The world has seen wiser kings, wealthier kings, and more powerful kings. But history has never seen a more courageous king than young King Josiah. He inherited a fragile throne and a tarnished crown. The temple was in disarray, the law was lost, and the people worshiped idols. But by the end of Josiah’s thirty-one-year reign, the temple had been rebuilt, the idols destroyed, and the law of God was once again elevated to a place of prominence and power.

Josiah was eight years old when he ascended the throne, and he flipped through his family scrapbook until he found an ancestor worthy of emulation. “He lived as his ancestor David had lived, and he did not stop doing what was right” (2 Kings 22:2 NCV).

The principle? We can’t choose our parents, but we can choose our mentors.

Luke 20:27-47

All Intimacies Will Be with God

27-33 Some Sadducees came up. This is the Jewish party that denies any possibility of resurrection. They asked, “Teacher, Moses wrote us that if a man dies and leaves a wife but no child, his brother is obligated to marry her and give her children. Well, there once were seven brothers. The first took a wife. He died childless. The second married her and died, then the third, and eventually all seven had their turn, but no child. After all that, the wife died. That wife, now—in the resurrection whose wife is she? All seven married her.”

34-38 Jesus said, “Marriage is a major preoccupation here, but not there. Those who are included in the resurrection of the dead will no longer be concerned with marriage nor, of course, with death. They will have better things to think about, if you can believe it. All ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God. Even Moses exclaimed about resurrection at the burning bush, saying, ‘God: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob!’ God isn’t the God of dead men, but of the living. To him all are alive.”

39-40 Some of the religion scholars said, “Teacher, that’s a great answer!” For a while, anyway, no one dared put questions to him.

* * *

41-44 Then he put a question to them: “How is it that they say that the Messiah is David’s son? In the Book of Psalms, David clearly says,

God said to my Master,
“Sit here at my right hand
    until I put your enemies under your feet.”

“David here designates the Messiah as ‘my Master’—so how can the Messiah also be his ‘son’?”

45-47 With everybody listening, Jesus spoke to his disciples. “Watch out for the religion scholars. They love to walk around in academic gowns, preen in the radiance of public flattery, bask in prominent positions, sit at the head table at every church function. And all the time they are exploiting the weak and helpless. The longer their prayers, the worse they get. But they’ll pay for it in the end.”

Our Daily Bread

Today's Scripture:

1 Corinthians 11:23–26

Let me go over with you again exactly what goes on in the Lord’s Supper and why it is so centrally important. I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said,

This is my body, broken for you.

Do this to remember me.

After supper, he did the same thing with the cup:

This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you.

Each time you drink this cup, remember me.

What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt.

Insight

Paul’s use of the words “on the night [Jesus] was betrayed” (1 Corinthians 11:23) underscores the serious nature of the matter he was addressing. It was Christ who implemented the first Communion (Lord’s Supper), and He did so on the Passover night before His crucifixion. Paul revisits the importance of this ordinance to correct a serious error in the church at Corinth. He led into this section by saying, “In the following directives I have no praise for you” (v. 17)—stern words to hear from an apostle of Jesus. The apostle pointed out how there were “divisions” among the people (v. 18). Some were eating too much while others went hungry, and some were even getting drunk. The apostle found such behavior appalling and warned of God’s judgment on those who were offending in this matter (vv. 27–32). He concluded by appealing for their renewed unity (v. 33).

By: Tim Gustafson

Celestial Communion

Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

1 Corinthians 11:26

When Apollo 11’s Eagle lunar module landed on the moon’s Sea of Tranquility on July 20, 1969, the space travelers took time to recover from their flight before stepping onto the moon’s surface. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin had received permission to bring bread and wine so he could take Communion. After reading Scripture, he tasted the first foods ever consumed on the moon. Later, he wrote: “I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon the wine curled slowly and gracefully up the side of the cup.” As Aldrin enjoyed this celestial Communion, his actions proclaimed his belief in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and the guarantee of His second coming.

The apostle Paul encourages us to remember how Jesus sat with His disciples “on the night he was betrayed” (1 Corinthians 11:23). Christ compared His soon-to-be sacrificed body to the bread (v. 24). He declared the wine as a symbol of “the new covenant” that secured our forgiveness and salvation through His blood shed on the cross (v. 25). Whenever and wherever we take Communion, we’re proclaiming our trust in the reality of Jesus’ sacrifice and our hope in His promised second coming (v. 26).

No matter where we are, we can celebrate our faith in the one and only risen and returning Savior—Jesus Christ—with confidence. 

By:  Xochitl Dixon

Reflect & Pray

What has kept you from prayerfully taking Communion in remembrance of Christ? How does it make you feel to know that a fellow believer took Communion to honor Jesus on the moon?

Jesus, please help me live boldly for You until You come again!

My Utmost for His Highest 

The Inevitable Penalty

By Oswald Chambers

You will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. —Matthew 5:26

There is no heaven that has a little corner of hell in it. God is determined to make you pure, holy, and right, and He will not allow you to escape from the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit for even one moment. He urged you to come to judgment immediately when He convicted you, but you did not obey. Then the inevitable process began to work, bringing its inevitable penalty. Now you have been “thrown into prison, [and]…you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny” (Matthew 5:25-26). Yet you ask, “Is this a God of mercy and love?” When seen from God’s perspective, it is a glorious ministry of love. God is going to bring you out pure, spotless, and undefiled, but He wants you to recognize the nature you were exhibiting— the nature of demanding your right to yourself. The moment you are willing for God to change your nature, His recreating forces will begin to work. And the moment you realize that God’s purpose is to get you into the right relationship with Himself and then with others, He will reach to the very limits of the universe to help you take the right road. Decide to do it right now, saying, “Yes, Lord, I will write that letter,” or, “I will be reconciled to that person now.”

These sermons of Jesus Christ are meant for your will and your conscience, not for your head. If you dispute these verses from the Sermon on the Mount with your head, you will dull the appeal to your heart.

If you find yourself asking, “I wonder why I’m not growing spiritually with God?”— then ask yourself if you are paying your debts from God’s standpoint. Do now what you will have to do someday. Every moral question or call comes with an “ought” behind it— the knowledge of knowing what we ought to do.

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

Bible in a Year: Job 20-21; Acts 10:24-48

A Word With You by Ron Hutchcraft 

REFUSING TO RETREAT - #9255

They thought it would take about three to five days. Yeah, when there was the invasion of Ukraine. That was the prediction of even our military people that because of the mis-match of the size of the Russian army and the Ukrainian forces it would be over very quickly. Well, as we know now, it has been an amazing part of modern history. And suddenly the world knew about a comedian who had become the President of Ukraine. And Volodymyr Zelenskyy has become a hero around the world. Someone called him "Churchill in a tee shirt." And we've all seen and heard him as he's really decided that he would not retreat, he would not disappear, and when the American government said, "We will give you a ride out," because there were three assisination squads stalking him. He said, "I don't need a ride." Remember? "I need ammunition." And he was there to stay! Guess what? Because one man wouldn't retreat, it inspired a nation to fight, and inspired the world to come and help them.

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

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Joshua 1. Joshua has assumed the new command of the children of Israel. And man, has he got obstacles and risks ahead of him. They're going to try to conquer the Promised Land and it's got walled cities, barbarian tribes, giants, and a flooded river to cross. And the man he's depended on all these years, Moses, has just died.

Well, now here's the word for today, Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous; do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Okay, now, God's addressing our two natural reactions when we're facing something overwhelming, threatening, new. We get scared, and we get discouraged. So He says, "Don't be afraid; don't be discouraged." See, God tells his people this eleven times in the Bible. Forty years earlier He said, "Go up and take possession. As the Lord told you, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged." Now, there are those times when your feelings and your circumstances are just saying, "Man, retreat! This is too tough!" But while your emotions are saying, "Retreat!" the Lord's saying, "No, charge!"

It's interesting the kinds of situations in which God says, "Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged." One is when He's asking you to take big risks. Now, that's the situation here with Joshua and the Jews going against the giants of Canaan. When Solomon was facing the massive task of building God's temple, a huge assignment no one had ever done before, David said, "Be strong and courageous and do the work." And then guess what? "Do not be afraid or discouraged." See, God says "charge" when you're facing a big job. Another time God says, this is after the Jews are in Canaan and they experience a deadly defeat. In Joshua 8:1, God says, "Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged." So He says it after a major setback.

Well, maybe right now you're facing a big risk, or a big job, or a big setback, or a big threat, and everything in you and around you is signaling, "Retreat!" Your fears are great, you're feeling discouraged. Remember, God's ancient people made their biggest mistake turning away from the Promised Land because they were afraid and got discouraged. You'll probably miss God's best if your eyes are on the circumstances or your feelings. In each case the reason for your confidence is the same, "The Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Keep your eyes on the God who is bigger than every obstacle, every need, every enemy, every task. He's called the Lord, the all powerful One who rules everything. But He's the Lord your God making all of that power available to you.

In the nation under attack, one leader with everything around Him seeming to say, "Retreat!" stood his ground and ultimately turned "Retreat!" into "Charge!" Well, that's what the Lord Jesus wants to do for you, because this is no time to retreat!

1 Samuel 18 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: JOSEPH - June 30, 2022 

“…an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit’” (Matthew 1:20 NIV).

You’ve stood where Joseph stood, caught between what God says and what makes sense. Each of us knows what it’s like to search the night for a light. Perhaps outside an emergency room, on the gravel of a roadside, on the manicured grass of a cemetery. We’ve questioned God’s plan.

Let me urge you to do what Joseph did—obey. Because Joseph obeyed, God used him to change the world. God still looks for Josephs today. Common people who serve an uncommon God. Will you be that kind of person? Will you serve…even when you don’t understand?

1 Samuel 18

Jonathan and David—Soul Friends

By the time David had finished reporting to Saul, Jonathan was deeply impressed with David—an immediate bond was forged between them. He became totally committed to David. From that point on he would be David’s number-one advocate and friend.

2 Saul received David into his own household that day, no more to return to the home of his father.

3-4 Jonathan, out of his deep love for David, made a covenant with him. He formalized it with solemn gifts: his own royal robe and weapons—armor, sword, bow, and belt.

5 Whatever Saul gave David to do, he did it—and did it well. So well that Saul put him in charge of his military operations. Everybody, both the people in general and Saul’s servants, approved of and admired David’s leadership.

David—The Name on Everyone’s Lips

6-9 As they returned home, after David had killed the Philistine, the women poured out of all the villages of Israel singing and dancing, welcoming King Saul with tambourines, festive songs, and lutes. In playful frolic the women sang,

Saul kills by the thousand,
David by the ten thousand!

This made Saul angry—very angry. He took it as a personal insult. He said, “They credit David with ‘ten thousands’ and me with only ‘thousands.’ Before you know it they’ll be giving him the kingdom!” From that moment on, Saul kept his eye on David.

10-11 The next day an ugly mood was sent by God to afflict Saul, who became quite beside himself, raving. David played his harp, as he usually did at such times. Saul had a spear in his hand. Suddenly Saul threw the spear, thinking, “I’ll nail David to the wall.” David ducked, and the spear missed. This happened twice.

12-16 Now Saul feared David. It was clear that God was with David and had left Saul. So, Saul got David out of his sight by making him an officer in the army. David was in combat frequently. Everything David did turned out well. Yes, God was with him. As Saul saw David becoming more successful, he himself grew more fearful. He could see the handwriting on the wall. But everyone else in Israel and Judah loved David. They loved watching him in action.

17 One day Saul said to David, “Here is Merab, my eldest daughter. I want to give her to you as your wife. Be brave and bold for my sake. Fight God’s battles!” But all the time Saul was thinking, “The Philistines will kill him for me. I won’t have to lift a hand against him.”

18 David, embarrassed, answered, “Do you really mean that? I’m from a family of nobodies! I can’t be son-in-law to the king.”

19 The wedding day was set, but as the time neared for Merab and David to be married, Saul reneged and married his daughter off to Adriel the Meholathite.

20-21 Meanwhile, Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David. When Saul was told of this, he rubbed his hands in anticipation. “Ah, a second chance. I’ll use Michal as bait to get David out where the Philistines will make short work of him.” So again he said to David, “You’re going to be my son-in-law.”

22 Saul ordered his servants, “Get David off by himself and tell him, ‘The king is very taken with you, and everyone at court loves you. Go ahead, become the king’s son-in-law!’”

23 The king’s servants told all this to David, but David held back. “What are you thinking of? I can’t do that. I’m a nobody; I have nothing to offer.”

24-25 When the servants reported David’s response to Saul, he told them to tell David this: “The king isn’t expecting any money from you; only this: Go kill a hundred Philistines and bring evidence of your vengeance on the king’s behalf. Avenge the king on his enemies.” (Saul expected David to be killed in action.)

26-27 On receiving this message, David was pleased. There was something he could do for the king that would qualify him to be his son-in-law! He lost no time but went right out, he and his men, killed the hundred Philistines, brought their evidence back in a sack, and counted it out before the king—mission completed! Saul gave Michal his daughter to David in marriage.

28-29 As Saul more and more realized that God was with David, and how much his own daughter, Michal, loved him, his fear of David increased and settled into hate. Saul hated David.

30 Whenever the Philistine warlords came out to battle, David was there to meet them—and beat them, upstaging Saul’s men. David’s name 

was on everyone’s lips.

Our Daily Bread:

Today's Scripture:

Colossians 3:22–25

Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.

Insight

Paul’s instructions to slaves and masters (Colossians 3:22–4:1) fall in a section on rules for Christian households, including the relationship between husbands and wives and children and parents (3:18–4:1). Many ask why Paul didn’t condemn slavery here. It’s important to note that while he didn’t condemn it, he didn’t condone it either (3:23-25). Slavery was created by human beings and doesn’t represent God’s will for His creatures. The sheer fact that Paul instructed slaves and masters each in their turn is important and implies their mutual equality before God in the church. During Paul’s day, the Roman world was full of slaves; it’s estimated that at one point one-third of the residents of Rome were slaves. They became slaves as prisoners of war, convicts, or through debt, kidnapping, or other means. As William Hendriksen states, “[Paul] took the social structure as he found it and endeavored by peaceful means to change it into its very opposite.”

By: Alyson Kieda

Giving God My Work

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.

Colossians 3:23

The magazine I was writing for felt “important,” so I struggled to present the best possible article I could for the high-ranking editor. Feeling pressure to meet her standards, I kept rewriting my thoughts and ideas. But what was my problem? Was it my challenging topic? Or was my real worry personal: Would the editor approve of me and not just my words?

For answers to our job worries, Paul gives trustworthy instruction. In a letter to the Colossian church, Paul urged believers to work not for approval of people, but for God. As the apostle said, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23–24).

Reflecting on Paul’s wisdom, we can stop struggling to look good in the eyes of our earthly bosses. For certain, we honor them as people and seek to give them our best. But if we work “as for the Lord”—asking Him to lead and anoint our work for Him—He’ll shine a light on our efforts. Our reward? Our job pressures ease and our assignments are completed. Even more, we’ll one day hear Him say, “Well done!”

Reflect & Pray

On your job, what pressures do you feel to please others or yourself? In what ways would your work improve on every level if you started working “as for the Lord”?

Heavenly Father, as I face job pressures, it’s easy to forget that I’m working for You. Redirect my heart and mind, so I put You first in all I do.

My Utmost for His Highest 

Do It Now!

By Oswald Chambers

Agree with your adversary quickly… —Matthew 5:25

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

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

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

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

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

“When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” We all have faith in good principles, in good management, in good common sense, but who amongst us has faith in Jesus Christ? Physical courage is grand, moral courage is grander, but the man who trusts Jesus Christ in the face of the terrific problems of life is worth a whole crowd of heroes.  The Highest Good, 544 R

Bible in a Year: Job 17-19; Acts 10:1-23

A Word With You By Ron Hutchcraft 

YOUR ANSWERS IN THE MIRROR - #9254

We've always found our family in the comic strips. Yeah, frequently one of the kids would come to me with some cartoon in the newspaper and say, "Here we are, Dad!" And it was often that comic strip - maybe you've seen it - Family Circus. The man behind it obviously has had children of his own. I mean, whenever the parents find a mess, or something eaten or missing, they of course start asking the children who did it. Needless to say, no one ever takes responsibility. No, the parents always end up concluding that it was "The Ghost of 'Not Me.'" Hey, does he live at your house - The Ghost of 'Not Me'? Listen, I know a Father who has a hard time getting His kids to say, "It was my fault." The kids? Yeah, you and me.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Answers in the Mirror."

I want to have a word with you today about this man who buried "The Ghost of 'Not Me.'" It was King David. Well, you remember that David was in the middle of a glorious serving time in his life glorifying the Lord, he commits this ugly sin with Bathsheba; the sin of adultery. Now he could have offered excuses. He could have said, "I was lonely that night. I couldn't help myself. I was vulnerable." He could have said, "Hey, she was tempting. She was willing. She could have said no." Or maybe he could have said, "Well, you know, I was under a lot of stress from being king and all those battles I was in. Yeah, it's really hard being the King of Israel."

But listen to what he says in our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 51, beginning with verse 2. It shows us how he ultimately handles the responsibility for what he did. "Wash away all my iniquity, Lord, and cleanse me from my sin, for I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight." Verse 7 he says, "Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow."

Now, contrast that, just for example, with the public statement that was issued after the disclosure of the adulterous activity of a prominent Christian leader. Here's what he said to the newspaper, "After seven years in an isolated incident, I was wickedly manipulated by treacherous former friends, and then colleagues who victimized me with the aid of a female confederate. They conspired to betray me into a sexual encounter at a time of great stress in my marital life." Excuse me, but did you notice the verbs, "I was manipulated," "victimized," "conspired against," "betrayed"? Hello! Sounds a little different than King David doesn't it? Not, "I am a sinner." "I'm a victim."

Okay, now before you're too quick to condemn that leader and say, "Shame on him!", let's look in the mirror. Aren't we quick to rationalize our sin, to blame our upbringing, our parents, our husband, our wife, the atmosphere around us, the culture? God says, "Who's to blame for what you're doing?" You say, "Not me!" There he is, The Ghost of "Not Me." That started in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. "It's her fault!" "No, it's his fault!" "No, it's the serpent's fault!"

See, there's no healing, there's no forgiveness, there's no peace until you join David in saying, "I am without excuse, Lord. It's sin. I call it what You call it, and I accept full responsibility for it. I quit blaming anything or anyone around me. I'm dirty, Lord. I need to be clean by the blood of Christ."

And He's willing to do that for an entire lifetime of sinning, if you will make the Savior, who died for the sin of the world your Savior, who died for your personal sin - every one of them. You say, "Jesus, I'm Yours!" I need you as my personal RescuerI

Listen, if you haven't begun a relationship with the great forgiver, I'd love to help you do that. There's information that will help you get that forgiveness from Him today. It's at our website, ANewStory.com.

Maybe you've been dodging your responsibility for what you've done. Confession contains the damage. That ghost of "not me" is keeping you from the peace you need so desperately. "It's me, Lord!" Let's have a funeral for that ghost.

1 Samuel: 17 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: A SYMBOL OF TRIUMPH - June 29, 2022

Very early on Sunday morning Peter and John were given the news: Jesus’ body is missing. Instantly the two disciples hurried to the sepulcher, John outrunning Peter and arriving first. What John saw so stunned him he froze at the entrance. What did he see? The burial wraps had not been ripped off and thrown down. They were in their original state—rolled and folded. How could this be? This question led to John’s discovery: “He saw and believed” (John 20:8 NIV). Through the rags of death, John saw the power of life.

Could God do something similar in your life? Could he take what today is a token of tragedy and turn it into a symbol of triumph? If God can change John’s life through a tragedy, could it be he will use a tragedy to change yours?

1 Samuel 17

Goliath

The Philistines drew up their troops for battle. They deployed them at Socoh in Judah, and set up camp between Socoh and Azekah at Ephes Dammim. Saul and the Israelites came together, camped at Oak Valley, and spread out their troops in battle readiness for the Philistines. The Philistines were on one hill, the Israelites on the opposing hill, with the valley between them.

4-7 A giant nearly ten feet tall stepped out from the Philistine line into the open, Goliath from Gath. He had a bronze helmet on his head and was dressed in armor—126 pounds of it! He wore bronze shin guards and carried a bronze sword. His spear was like a fence rail—the spear tip alone weighed over fifteen pounds. His shield bearer walked ahead of him.

8-10 Goliath stood there and called out to the Israelite troops, “Why bother using your whole army? Am I not Philistine enough for you? And you’re all committed to Saul, aren’t you? So pick your best fighter and pit him against me. If he gets the upper hand and kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I get the upper hand and kill him, you’ll all become our slaves and serve us. I challenge the troops of Israel this day. Give me a man. Let us fight it out together!”

11 When Saul and his troops heard the Philistine’s challenge, they were terrified and lost all hope.

12-15 Enter David. He was the son of Jesse the Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse, the father of eight sons, was himself too old to join Saul’s army. Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the three sons who had joined up with Saul were Eliab, the firstborn; next, Abinadab; and third, Shammah. David was the youngest son. While his three oldest brothers went to war with Saul, David went back and forth from attending to Saul to tending his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

16 Each morning and evening for forty days, Goliath took his stand and made his speech.

17-19 One day, Jesse told David his son, “Take this sack of cracked wheat and these ten loaves of bread and run them down to your brothers in the camp. And take these ten wedges of cheese to the captain of their division. Check in on your brothers to see whether they are getting along all right, and let me know how they’re doing—Saul and your brothers, and all the Israelites in their war with the Philistines in the Oak Valley.”

20-23 David was up at the crack of dawn and, having arranged for someone to tend his flock, took the food and was on his way just as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the army was moving into battle formation, shouting the war cry. Israel and the Philistines moved into position, facing each other, battle-ready. David left his bundles of food in the care of a sentry, ran to the troops who were deployed, and greeted his brothers. While they were talking together, the Philistine champion, Goliath of Gath, stepped out from the front lines of the Philistines, and gave his usual challenge. David heard him.

24-25 The Israelites, to a man, fell back the moment they saw the giant—totally frightened. The talk among the troops was, “Have you ever seen anything like this, this man openly and defiantly challenging Israel? The man who kills the giant will have it made. The king will give him a huge reward, offer his daughter as a bride, and give his entire family a free ride.”

Five Smooth Stones

26 David, who was talking to the men standing around him, asked, “What’s in it for the man who kills that Philistine and gets rid of this ugly blot on Israel’s honor? Who does he think he is, anyway, this uncircumcised Philistine, taunting the armies of God-Alive?”

27 They told him what everyone was saying about what the king would do for the man who killed the Philistine.

28 Eliab, his older brother, heard David fraternizing with the men and lost his temper: “What are you doing here! Why aren’t you minding your own business, tending that scrawny flock of sheep? I know what you’re up to. You’ve come down here to see the sights, hoping for a ringside seat at a bloody battle!”

29-30 “What is it with you?” replied David. “All I did was ask a question.” Ignoring his brother, he turned to someone else, asked the same question, and got the same answer as before.

31 The things David was saying were picked up and reported to Saul. Saul sent for him.

32 “Master,” said David, “don’t give up hope. I’m ready to go and fight this Philistine.”

33 Saul answered David, “You can’t go and fight this Philistine. You’re too young and inexperienced—and he’s been at this fighting business since before you were born.”

34-37 David said, “I’ve been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I’d go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I’d grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I’ll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive. God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine.”

Saul said, “Go. And God help you!”

38-39 Then Saul outfitted David as a soldier in armor. He put his bronze helmet on his head and belted his sword on him over the armor. David tried to walk but he could hardly budge.

David told Saul, “I can’t even move with all this stuff on me. I’m not used to this.” And he took it all off.

40 Then David took his shepherd’s staff, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s pack, and with his sling in his hand approached Goliath.

41-42 As the Philistine paced back and forth, his shield bearer in front of him, he noticed David. He took one look down on him and sneered—a mere boy, apple-cheeked and peach-fuzzed.

43 The Philistine ridiculed David. “Am I a dog that you come after me with a stick?” And he cursed him by his gods.

44 “Come on,” said the Philistine. “I’ll make roadkill of you for the buzzards. I’ll turn you into a tasty morsel for the field mice.”

45-47 David answered, “You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel’s troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me. I’m about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn’t save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—he’s handing you to us on a platter!”

48-49 That roused the Philistine, and he started toward David. David took off from the front line, running toward the Philistine. David reached into his pocket for a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply. The Philistine crashed, facedown in the dirt.

50 That’s how David beat the Philistine—with a sling and a stone. He hit him and killed him. No sword for David!

51 Then David ran up to the Philistine and stood over him, pulled the giant’s sword from its sheath, and finished the job by cutting off his head. When the Philistines saw that their great champion was dead, they scattered, running for their lives.

52-54 The men of Israel and Judah were up on their feet, shouting! They chased the Philistines all the way to the outskirts of Gath and the gates of Ekron. Wounded Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road all the way to Gath and Ekron. After chasing the Philistines, the Israelites came back and looted their camp. David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem. But the giant’s weapons he placed in his own tent.

* * *

55 When Saul saw David go out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Tell me about this young man’s family.”

Abner said, “For the life of me, O King, I don’t know.”

56 The king said, “Well, find out the lineage of this raw youth.”

57 As soon as David came back from killing the Philistine, Abner brought him, the Philistine’s head still in his hand, straight to Saul.

58 Saul asked him, “Young man, whose son are you?”

“I’m the son of your servant Jesse,” said David, “the one who lives in Bethlehem.”

Our Daily Bread 

Today's Scripture:

Genesis 39:11–23

  On one of these days he came to the house to do his work and none of the household servants happened to be there. She grabbed him by his cloak, saying, “Sleep with me!” He left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house. When she realized that he had left his coat in her hand and run outside, she called to her house servants: “Look—this Hebrew shows up and before you know it he’s trying to seduce us. He tried to make love to me but I yelled as loud as I could. With all my yelling and screaming, he left his coat beside me here and ran outside.”

16–18  She kept his coat right there until his master came home. She told him the same story. She said, “The Hebrew slave, the one you brought to us, came after me and tried to use me for his plaything. When I yelled and screamed, he left his coat with me and ran outside.”

19–23  When his master heard his wife’s story, telling him, “These are the things your slave did to me,” he was furious. Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the jail where the king’s prisoners were locked up. But there in jail God was still with Joseph: He reached out in kindness to him; he put him on good terms with the head jailer. The head jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners—he ended up managing the whole operation. The head jailer gave Joseph free rein, never even checked on him, because God was with him; whatever he did God made sure it worked out for the best.

Insight

When Joseph was confronted with sexual temptation (Genesis 39:11–23), he didn’t stay put and try to resist it; rather, “he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house” (v. 12). The New Testament commands us to “flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). We’re to run away from it—not toward it—as fast as we can, and to keep as far away as possible (Proverbs 5:8). We should beware of overestimating our ability to resist it and underestimating its power. Running from sexual temptation by the enabling of the Spirit isn’t the act of a coward; it’s the strength of a person committed to following Jesus.

By: K. T. Sim

Run From Sin

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2 Timothy 2:22

Twice this summer I suffered the scourge of poison ivy. Both times it happened, I was working on clearing away unwanted plant growth from our yard. And both times, I saw the nasty, three-leafed enemy lurking nearby. I figured I could get close to it without it affecting me. Soon enough, I realized I’d been wrong. Instead of getting nearer to my little green nemesis, I should have run the other way!

In the Old Testament story of Joseph, we see modeled the principle of running from something worse than poison ivy: sin. When he was living in the home of Egyptian official Potiphar, whose wife tried to seduce him, Joseph didn’t try to get close—he ran.

Although she falsely accused him and had him thrown in prison, Joseph remained pure throughout the episode. And as we see in Genesis 39:21, “The Lord was with him.”

God can help us flee activities and situations that could lead us away from Him—guiding us to run the other way when sin is nearby. In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul writes, “Flee the evil desires.” And in 1 Corinthians 6:18, he says to “flee from sexual immorality.”

In God’s strength, may we choose to run from those things that could harm us. By:  Dave Branon

Reflect & Pray

What’s your “poison ivy,” something that can infect you if you don’t run from it? What can you do to run from it?

God, You know what I’m getting too close to right now. Help me to run from it and not look back. Please give me the courage and wisdom to not let anything get between You and me.

My Utmost for His Highest 

The Strictest Discipline

By Oswald Chambers

If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. —Matthew 5:30

Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off his right hand, but that “if your right hand causes you to sin” in your walk with Him, then it is better to “cut it off.” There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but Jesus says that if it hinders you in following His precepts, then “cut it off.” The principle taught here is the strictest discipline or lesson that ever hit humankind.

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

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

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

An intellectual conception of God may be found in a bad vicious character. The knowledge and vision of God is dependent entirely on a pure heart. Character determines the revelation of God to the individual. The pure in heart see God. Biblical Ethics, 125 R

Bible in a Year: Job 14-16; Acts 9:22-43

A Word With You 

By Ron Hutchcraft 

Why They're Rejecting Your Jesus

There he was in the homes of some ten million Americans every night. Yeah, it was the TV news anchorman for a major network. The voice that millions trust, or did trust. The most experienced, most watched anchorman in the country, at that time, facing the worst possible question, "Can we believe him?"

Because of dramatic stories he told about his assignments in the Middle East and during Hurricane Katrina; except in different tellings, there were different accounts. Accounts challenged by people who actually were there. So an anchorman had lost the one thing that a man with that kind of influence really can't do without - trust. I mean, if you're reporting important news, credibility is everything, especially if that news is life-or-death information from God.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Why They're Rejecting Your Jesus."

The Gospel! That's what it's called. It means "Good News." It's the only news in the world on which eternities depend. The Bible says in Romans 1:16 (NLT), "This Good News about Christ...is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes."

And every follower of Jesus is God's embedded reporter of that news to the people in their circle of influence - at work, at school, where you live, where you play, where you shop. It's spelled out really clearly and powerfully in our word for today from the Word of God in 2 Corinthians 5:19-20. "He gave us this wonderful message...we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, 'Come back to God!'"

When you're the one responsible to report the Ultimate Story - God's Story - there's one thing you cannot afford to lose - trust - because your life doesn't back it up. A person has to first trust the messenger usually before they'll trust the message. Right? So most people who come to Jesus, you know, do it because of a Christian they know. And most people who reject Jesus do it because of a Christian they know.

Your life, my life; it's either a magnet that attracts a lost person to Jesus, or it's an excuse for them to walk away from Him. In so doing, to walk possibly into an eternity without Him. So, I really need to constantly ask myself, "Is my life backing up the message? What is there in my life, what is there in the way I talk, what is there in the way I treat people, what is there in my attitude that contradicts what Jesus is like?"

Like lying for example. Like talking behind someone's back. Is that part of you that people know, and you're the ambassador for Christ? How about that short fuse? The dirty joke? Your mean spirit? A selfish attitude? "Checking out" girls? Hurting words? It could be just that "me first" vibe you give off. How about that critical spirit? No time to stop for that wounded person? It just so contradicts everything you say about Jesus.

And if I've lost their trust by my hypocrisy, I need to seek their forgiveness. Because I failed to show them how real Jesus is. I want to be a reason for people to trust Jesus, because they could trust me

Luke 20:1-26 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: LEAVE OR LINGER? - June 28, 2022 

In Romans 8:28 Paul writes, “In everything God works for the good of those who love him.” Does everything include tumors and tests and tempers and terminations? John would answer yes. John did not know that Friday’s tragedy would be Sunday’s triumph. You’d think he would have left. Who was to say that the men who crucified Christ wouldn’t come after him? To others, Jesus was a miracle worker, a master teacher, and the hope of Israel. But to John, he was all of these and more. To John, Jesus was a friend, and you don’t abandon a friend—even when that friend is dead.

When you are somewhere between yesterday’s tragedy and tomorrow’s triumph, what do you? Do you leave God, or do you linger near him? John chose to linger. And because he lingered on Saturday, he was around on Sunday to see the miracle. May you do the same. 

Luke 20:1-26 One day he was teaching the people in the Temple, proclaiming the Message. The high priests, religion scholars, and leaders confronted him and demanded, “Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to speak and act like this?”

3-4 Jesus answered, “First, let me ask you a question: About the baptism of John—who authorized it, heaven or humans?”

5-7 They were on the spot, and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, “If we say ‘heaven,’ he’ll ask us why we didn’t believe him; if we say ‘humans,’ the people will tear us limb from limb, convinced as they are that John was God’s prophet.” They agreed to concede that round to Jesus and said they didn’t know.

8 Jesus said, “Then neither will I answer your question.”

The Story of Corrupt Farmhands

9-12 Jesus told another story to the people: “A man planted a vineyard. He handed it over to farmhands and went off on a trip. He was gone a long time. In time he sent a servant back to the farmhands to collect the profits, but they beat him up and sent him off empty-handed. He decided to try again and sent another servant. That one they beat black-and-blue, and sent him off empty-handed. He tried a third time. They worked that servant over from head to foot and dumped him in the street.

13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘I know what I’ll do: I’ll send my beloved son. They’re bound to respect my son.’

14-15 “But when the farmhands saw him coming, they quickly put their heads together. ‘This is our chance—this is the heir! Let’s kill him and have it all to ourselves.’ They killed him and threw him over the fence.

15-16 “What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? Right. He’ll come and get rid of everyone. Then he’ll assign the care of the vineyard to others.”

Those who were listening said, “Oh, no! He’d never do that!”

17-18 But Jesus didn’t back down. “Why, then, do you think this was written:

That stone the masons threw out—
It’s now the cornerstone!?

“Anyone falling over that stone will break every bone in his body; if the stone falls on anyone, he’ll be smashed to smithereens.”

19 The religion scholars and high priests wanted to lynch him on the spot, but they were intimidated by public opinion. They knew the story was about them.

Paying Taxes

20-22 Watching for a chance to get him, they sent spies who posed as honest inquirers, hoping to trick him into saying something that would get him in trouble with the law. So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you’re honest and straightforward when you teach, that you don’t pander to anyone but teach the way of God accurately. Tell us: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23-24 He knew they were laying for him and said, “Show me a coin. Now, this engraving, who does it look like and what does it say?”

25 “Caesar,” they said.

Jesus said, “Then give Caesar what is his and give God what is his.”

26 Try as they might, they couldn’t trap him into saying anything incriminating. His answer caught them off guard and left them speechless. 

Our Daily Bread 

Today's Scripture:

Matthew 10:1–11, 40–42 The Twelve Harvest Hands

1–4  10 The prayer was no sooner prayed than it was answered. Jesus called twelve of his followers and sent them into the ripe fields. He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits and to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives. This is the list of the twelve he sent:

Simon (they called him Peter, or “Rock”),

Andrew, his brother,

James, Zebedee’s son,

John, his brother,

Philip,

Bartholomew,

Thomas,

Matthew, the tax man,

James, son of Alphaeus,

Thaddaeus,

Simon, the Canaanite,

Judas Iscariot (who later turned on him).

5–8  Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge:

“Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.

9–10  “Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.

11  “When you enter a town or village, don’t insist on staying in a luxury inn. Get a modest place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave. 

40–42  “We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.” Insight

When Jesus sent His disciples out to preach, He sent them without extra clothes, food, or money (Matthew 10:9–10). They were to entrust their message to those who cared for them and in response to any that wouldn’t, they were to leave that home or town (vv. 13–14). Jesus said the “sheep and goats” (the righteous who put faith into action and others who don’t) would be judged on how they treated “the least of these brothers and sisters of mine” (25:31–40). Those who cared for Christ’s disciples welcomed Jesus Himself.

By: Jed Ostoich A Friend of God’s Friends Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.

Matthew 10:40 Something so cordial can happen in first introductions when two persons discover that they have a friend in common. In what may be its most memorable form, a big-hearted host welcomes a guest with something like, “So nice to meet you. Any friend of Sam’s, or Samantha’s, is a friend of mine.”   

Jesus said something similar. He’d been attracting crowds by healing many. But He’d also been making enemies of local religious leaders by disagreeing with the way they were commercializing the temple and misusing their influence. In the middle of a growing conflict, He made a move to multiply the joy, cost, and wonder of His presence. He gave His disciples the ability to heal others and sent them out to announce that the kingdom of God was at hand. He assured the disciples: “Anyone who welcomes you, welcomes me” (Matthew 10:40), and, in turn, welcomes His Father who sent Him as well.

It’s hard to imagine a more life-changing offer of friendship. For anyone who would open their house, or even give a cup of cold water to one of His disciples, Jesus assured a place in the heart of God. While that moment happened a long time ago, His words remind us that in big and little acts of kindness and hospitality there are still ways of welcoming, and being welcomed, as a friend of the friends of God.

By:  Mart DeHaan Reflect & Pray

What could you do through the Holy Spirit’s leading that might give others a chance to open their hearts to you? How could this point them to the Savior?

Father, thank You for giving us a chance to be part of the good news that has its source in You.

My Utmost for His Highest 

Held by the Grip of God

By Oswald Chambers I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. —Philippians 3:12 Never choose to be a worker for God, but once God has placed His call on you, woe be to you if you “turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32). We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has “laid hold of” us. And once He has done so, we never have this thought, “Well, I’m really not suited for this.” What you are to preach is also determined by God, not by your own natural leanings or desires. Keep your soul steadfastly related to God, and remember that you are called not simply to convey your testimony but also to preach the gospel. Every Christian must testify to the truth of God, but when it comes to the call to preach, there must be the agonizing grip of God’s hand on you— your life is in the grip of God for that very purpose. How many of us are held like that?

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

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

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

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, 1166 R

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

A Wor with You by Ron Hutchcraft 

VERBAL CHAINSAWS CUTTING DEEP - #9252

 I was a young teenager when I faced my first issue with gun control. My dad took me out hunting pheasants. I was a rookie with that 12-gauge shotgun. The first time a pheasant roared out of those cornstalks, it scared me so much, I couldn't fire a shot. I had no gun control.

But so much deadly violence and so many heart-wrenching deaths of innocent victims have now catapulted gun control issues seriously to center stage. And this isn't a forum for debating those questions; there are other places for that.

I do know that my Bible commands me to pray for "all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2:2). That's always a good reminder. But while our political leaders work on what to do with guns, I've got another issue to deal with on a much more personal level - chainsaws. Long before there were guns, there were chainsaws - the kind we carry in our mouth.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Verbal Chainsaws Cutting Deep."

Because, as the Bible says, "Reckless words pierce like a sword" (Proverbs 12:18). Our words alone can cut a person to the heart. No blood on the outside, but all over on the inside. God goes on to say that "the tongue has the power of life and death" (Proverbs 18:21). It's true. Words can either make a person feel more alive or more dead inside.

The chainsaw called the tongue cuts long and cuts deep. We all know that from our personal experience. Think about the ugly names, the scarring words, the crippling put downs that we've never forgotten. Chances are, the person who spewed those words doesn't even remember them, but you sure do. And yet, we who are the wounded are also the wound-ers.

God's pretty blunt about our verbal chainsaw. He describes it in our word for today in the Word of God in James 3. He calls the tongue "a world of evil...set on fire by hell...full of deadly poison" (James 3:2, 5-8). I wonder how many times I have left - to borrow the name of a dark chapter in Native American history - a "trail of tears" behind me. From my careless words, my critical words? All the nice words don't erase the nasty words. James 3 again says, "Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing...this should not be" (James 3:10). "No man can tame the tongue" it says. We don't want to keep wounding people with our words. But, honestly, we just keep doing it.

The disarming of the human tongue requires nothing short of divine intervention; a "Savior," to use the Bible word, asking Jesus to take control of an out-of-control tongue. When we, like an addict in rehab, admit to Him that we're powerless to tame our tongue, we take the first step to changing.

Of course, our words are only the symptom, they're not the problem. Jesus' diagnosis cuts right to the heart of the issue literally. He says, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34). Dark words are really the toxic radiation emitting from the waste dump in our heart. That's why only Jesus can tame a tongue, because only Jesus can change a heart. His game-changing sacrifice for our sin on a cross means that "sin shall not be your master" (Romans 6:14) including the relentless sins of the tongue.

Jesus can clean out a heart that's full of anger and resentment, the pain of the past, and turn a life-robbing chainsaw into a life-giving river. That's why I need to make King David's prayer my prayer each day. He says, "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips." After all, the man who conquered death should have no problem taming my tongue.

If you've never begun that cleansing,power-giving, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ and you would like to, tell Him that today, "Jesus, I'm yours." If you're ready for this kind of life change that only He can make possible, visit our website, ANewStory.com. And today, make Him not just the Savior , But a personal savior for you