Exodus 24 Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Your Place at God’s Table

Angry.  Sullen.  Accusatory.  Whiny.  Put them all together in one word and spell it b-i-t-t-e-r.  If you put them all in one person, that person’s in the pit, the dungeon of bitterness.  The dungeon calls you to enter.  You can, you know. You’ve experienced enough hurt.  You’ve been betrayed enough times. You can choose, like many, to chain yourself to your hurt.

Or you can choose, like some, to put away your hurts.  You can choose to go to the party.  You have a place there. If you’re a child of God, no one can take away your sonship. Which is precisely what the father said to his prodigal son in Luke 15. “You are always with me; all that I have is yours.”

What you have is more important than what you don’t have, and that is, your relationship with God the Father!  Your place at God’s table is permanent!

from He Still Moves Stones

Exodus 24 The Message

24 1-2 He said to Moses, “Climb the mountain to God, you and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. They will worship from a distance; only Moses will approach God. The rest are not to come close. And the people are not to climb the mountain at all.”

3 So Moses went to the people and told them everything God had said—all the rules and regulations. They all answered in unison: “Everything God said, we’ll do.”

4-6 Then Moses wrote it all down, everything God had said. He got up early the next morning and built an Altar at the foot of the mountain using twelve pillar-stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he directed young Israelite men to offer Whole-Burnt-Offerings and sacrifice Peace-Offerings of bulls. Moses took half the blood and put it in bowls; the other half he threw against the Altar.

7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it as the people listened. They said, “Everything God said, we’ll do. Yes, we’ll obey.”

8 Moses took the rest of the blood and threw it out over the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has made with you out of all these words I have spoken.”

* * *

9-11 Then they climbed the mountain—Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel—and saw the God of Israel. He was standing on a pavement of something like sapphires—pure, clear sky-blue. He didn’t hurt these pillar-leaders of the Israelites: They saw God; and they ate and drank.

12-13 God said to Moses, “Climb higher up the mountain and wait there for me; I’ll give you tablets of stone, the teachings and commandments that I’ve written to instruct them.” So Moses got up, accompanied by Joshua his aide. And Moses climbed up the mountain of God.

14 He told the elders of Israel, “Wait for us here until we return to you. You have Aaron and Hur with you; if there are any problems, go to them.”

15-17 Then Moses climbed the mountain. The Cloud covered the mountain. The Glory of God settled over Mount Sinai. The Cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called out of the Cloud to Moses. In the view of the Israelites below, the Glory of God looked like a raging fire at the top of the mountain.

18 Moses entered the middle of the Cloud and climbed the mountain. Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Proverbs 18:1-10

An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends

    and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.

2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding

    but delight in airing their own opinions.

3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,

    and with shame comes reproach.

4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,

    but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.

5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked

    and so deprive the innocent of justice.

6 The lips of fools bring them strife,

    and their mouths invite a beating.

7 The mouths of fools are their undoing,

    and their lips are a snare to their very lives.

8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;

    they go down to the inmost parts.

9 One who is slack in his work

    is brother to one who destroys.

10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;

    the righteous run to it and are safe.

Insight

The book of Proverbs provides us with insight on everything from words to work to relationships. Interestingly, sprinkled throughout the book are sayings that don’t tell us something about life but rather about God. Yet those theological truths should not be separated from the idea of practical day-to-day living. It is as important to know that the name of the Lord is strong and provides safety (18:10) as it is to know that a fool’s mouth leads to his destruction (v.7).

The Power Of A Name

By Joe Stowell

The name of the Lord is a strong tower. —Proverbs 18:10

Nicknames are often descriptive of some noticeable aspect of a person’s character or physical attributes. Growing up, my elementary school friends brutally called me “liver lips” since at that stage of development my lips seemed disproportionately large. Needless to say, I have always been glad that the name didn’t stick.

Unlike my nickname, I love the names of God that describe His magnificent characteristics. God is so wonderfully multifaceted that He has many names that communicate His capabilities and character. To name just a few, He is:

Elohim, the God above all gods

Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides

El-Shaddai, the almighty God

Jehovah Rapha, our healer God

Jehovah Shalom, our God of peace

Jehovah Shamma, our God who is present

Jehovah Yahweh, our loving, covenant-keeping God

It’s no wonder the writer of Proverbs encourages us to remember that “the name of the Lord is a strong tower,” that in times of need God-fearing people run to it and “are safe” (Prov. 18:10). When unwelcome circumstances threaten you and you feel vulnerable, reflect on one of God’s names. Be assured—He will be faithful to His name.

Lord, remind us that Your names reveal Your

character. Help us to remember them in our times

of need and distress. Thank You for the assurance

that You are faithful to Your name.

God’s names, which describe His character, can bring comfort when we need it most.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Saturday, July 12, 2014

The Spiritually Self-Seeking Church

. . . till we all come . . . to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ . . . —Ephesians 4:13

Reconciliation means the restoring of the relationship between the entire human race and God, putting it back to what God designed it to be. This is what Jesus Christ did in redemption. The church ceases to be spiritual when it becomes self-seeking, only interested in the development of its own organization. The reconciliation of the human race according to His plan means realizing Him not only in our lives individually, but also in our lives collectively. Jesus Christ sent apostles and teachers for this very purpose— that the corporate Person of Christ and His church, made up of many members, might be brought into being and made known. We are not here to develop a spiritual life of our own, or to enjoy a quiet spiritual retreat. We are here to have the full realization of Jesus Christ, for the purpose of building His body.

Am I building up the body of Christ, or am I only concerned about my own personal development? The essential thing is my personal relationship with Jesus Christ— “. . . that I may know Him. . .” (Philippians 3:10). To fulfill God’s perfect design for me requires my total surrender— complete abandonment of myself to Him. Whenever I only want things for myself, the relationship is distorted. And I will suffer great humiliation once I come to acknowledge and understand that I have not really been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ Himself, but only concerned with knowing what He has done for me.

My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace, Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.

Am I measuring my life by this standard or by something less?

Exodus 23 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Judgment is God's Job

There is power in revenge. Intoxicating power. Haven't we tasted it? Haven't we been tempted to get even? As we escort the offender into the courtroom, we announce, "He hurt me!" and jurors shake their heads in disgust. "He abandoned me!" we explain, and the chambers echo with our accusation. "Guilty!" the judge snarls as he slams the gavel. "Guilty!" the jury agrees. We delight in this moment of justice. We relish this pound of flesh.

I don't mean to be cocky, but why are you doing God's work for Him?  "Vengeance" is Mine," God declared. "I will repay." Proverbs 20:22 says, "Don't say, 'I'll pay you back for the wrong you did.' Wait for the Lord, and He will make things right." Judgment is God's job. To assume otherwise is to assume God can't do it. God has not asked us to settle the score or get even. Ever!

From When God Whispers Your Name

Exodus 23 The Message

23 1-3 “Don’t pass on malicious gossip.

“Don’t link up with a wicked person and give corrupt testimony. Don’t go along with the crowd in doing evil and don’t mess up your testimony in a case just to please the crowd. And just because someone is poor, don’t show favoritism in a dispute.

4-5 “If you find your enemy’s ox or donkey loose, take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you lying helpless under its load, don’t walk off and leave it. Help it up.

6 “When there is a dispute concerning your poor, don’t tamper with the justice due them.

7 “Stay clear of false accusations. Don’t contribute to the death of innocent and good people. I don’t let the wicked off the hook.

8 “Don’t take bribes. Bribes blind perfectly good eyes and twist the speech of good people.

9 “Don’t take advantage of a stranger. You know what it’s like to be a stranger; you were strangers in Egypt.

10-11 “Sow your land for six years and gather in its crops, but in the seventh year leave it alone and give it a rest so that your poor may eat from it. What they leave, let the wildlife have. Do the same with your vineyards and olive groves.

12 “Work for six days and rest the seventh so your ox and donkey may rest and your servant and migrant workers may have time to get their needed rest.

13 “Listen carefully to everything I tell you. Don’t pay attention to other gods—don’t so much as mention their names.

* * *

14 “Three times a year you are to hold a festival for me.

15 “Hold the spring Festival of Unraised Bread when you eat unraised bread for seven days at the time set for the month of Abib, as I commanded you. That was the month you came out of Egypt. No one should show up before me empty-handed.

16 “Hold the summer Festival of Harvest when you bring in the firstfruits of all your work in the fields.

“Hold the autumn Festival of Ingathering at the end of the season when you bring in the year’s crops.

17 “Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Master, God.

18 “Don’t offer the blood of a sacrifice to me with anything that has yeast in it.

“Don’t leave the fat from my festival offering out overnight.

19 “Bring the choice first produce of the year to the house of your God.

“Don’t boil a kid in its mother’s milk.

* * *

20-24 “Now get yourselves ready. I’m sending my Angel ahead of you to guard you in your travels, to lead you to the place that I’ve prepared. Pay close attention to him. Obey him. Don’t go against him. He won’t put up with your rebellions because he’s acting on my authority. But if you obey him and do everything I tell you, I’ll be an enemy to your enemies, I’ll fight those who fight you. When my Angel goes ahead of you and leads you to the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, I’ll clear the country of them. So don’t worship or serve their gods; don’t do anything they do because I’m going to wipe them right off the face of the Earth and smash their sacred phallic pillars to bits.

25-26 “But you—you serve your God and he’ll bless your food and your water. I’ll get rid of the sickness among you; there won’t be any miscarriages nor barren women in your land. I’ll make sure you live full and complete lives.

27 “I’ll send my Terror on ahead of you and throw those peoples you’re approaching into a panic. All you’ll see of your enemies is the backs of their necks.

28-31 “And I’ll send Despair on ahead of you. It will push the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites out of your way. I won’t get rid of them all at once lest the land grow up in weeds and the wild animals take over. Little by little I’ll get them out of there while you have a chance to get your crops going and make the land your own. I will make your borders stretch from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and from the Wilderness to the Euphrates River. I’m turning everyone living in that land over to you; go ahead and drive them out.

32-33 “Don’t make any deals with them or their gods. They are not to stay in the same country with you lest they get you to sin by worshiping their gods. Beware. That’s a huge danger.”

* * *

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: 1 John 4:1-6,17-19

On Denying the Incarnation

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Footnotes:

1 John 4:6 Or spirit

Insight

First John 4:2-3 is used often by Christians as a test to determine if one is demon-possessed. This ignores the context. John is warning against false prophets who deny the humanity of Christ and teach that Jesus only appeared to be human. A false teacher is one who denies that Jesus Christ is both fully man and fully God.

Paranoia In Reverse

By Philip Yancey

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. —1 John 4:18

I remember watching television news reports in 1991 as the nonviolent revolution took place in the streets of Moscow. Russians who had grown up in totalitarianism suddenly declared, “We will act as if we are free,” taking to the streets and staring down tanks. The contrast between the faces of the leaders inside and the masses outside showed who was really afraid, and who was really free.

Watching the newsreels from Red Square on Finnish television, I came up with a new definition of faith: paranoia in reverse. A truly paranoid person organizes his or her life around a common perspective of fear. Anything that happens feeds that fear.

Faith works in reverse. A faithful person organizes his or her life around a common perspective of trust, not fear. Despite the apparent chaos of the present moment, God does reign. Regardless of how I may feel, I truly matter to a God of love.

What could happen if we in God’s kingdom truly acted as if the words of the apostle John were literally true: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). What if we really started living as if the most-repeated prayer in Christendom has actually been answered—that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven?

Far, far above thy thought

His counsel shall appear,

When fully He the work hath wrought

That caused thy needless fear. —Gerhardt

Feeding your faith helps starve your fears.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Friday, July 11, 2014

The Spiritually Vigorous Saint

. . . that I may know Him . . . —Philippians 3:10

A saint is not to take the initiative toward self-realization, but toward knowing Jesus Christ. A spiritually vigorous saint never believes that his circumstances simply happen at random, nor does he ever think of his life as being divided into the secular and the sacred. He sees every situation in which he finds himself as the means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ, and he has an attitude of unrestrained abandon and total surrender about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we will have the realization of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives, and He will bring us back to the same point over and over again until we do. Self-realization only leads to the glorification of good works, whereas a saint of God glorifies Jesus Christ through his good works. Whatever we may be doing— even eating, drinking, or washing disciples’ feet— we have to take the initiative of realizing and recognizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial task. “Jesus, knowing . . . that He had come from God and was going to God, . . . took a towel . . . and began to wash the disciples’ feet . . .” (John 13:3-5).

The aim of a spiritually vigorous saint is “that I may know Him . . .” Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am not here for self-realization, but to know Jesus Christ. In Christian work our initiative and motivation are too often simply the result of realizing that there is work to be done and that we must do it. Yet that is never the attitude of a spiritually vigorous saint. His aim is to achieve the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances.

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Friday, July 11, 2014

Mother's Voice is Still There - #7175

The florists have been looking forward to their recliners. They finally get to recover from their busiest day of the year. Well, you know what that is. It was Mother's Day. Hallmark is counting all their Mother's Day card money. Phone companies get pretty happy then, too. It's the busiest calling day of the year. Did you know that? Mother's Day, of course, that's over. It only lasts a day. It's over until next year. Oh, but not their marks on our life.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Mother's Voice Is Still There."

I wrote some short stories when I was a kid, and there was only one person who would listen to me read them - Mom. And as lame as those stories may have been, she watered this wannabe writer with her encouragement. And she was my #1 fan at every activity. She even laughed at my jokes, even if she didn't always get them.

I was thinking today about how our mother's voice and our mother's influence is with us for life. It reminded me of the story of a man named John Newton. That's not a really well-known name. But what he wrote is known around the world.

It's the song they play at virtually every police and fire funeral. At times, it was the song heard almost every day at Ground Zero after September 11, 2001. If people only know one hymn, it's the one John Newton wrote - Amazing Grace.

But no one would have ever - ever - picked John Newton as the writer of an immortal hymn. When his mother died when he was a boy, his seafaring dad took him to sea. That's where John learned the partying and harsh ways of a sailor. As for God, well you could forget about that. Newton's cargo was human beings. Ripped from their families and chained in the belly of some death-trap slave ship.

Until the day a violent storm threatened to sink his ship. In that moment when he knew where his only hope was, John Newton yelled into the storm, "My mother's God - God of mercy - save me!" And his mother's God did. More importantly, his mother's God became John Newton's God that day. His life was saved that day. But so was his soul. Because of that "amazing grace" that enabled him to say, "I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but

now I see."

Over the years many a son or daughter has been the subject of many a mother's prayers. But it could be they've never chosen her God to be their God until the storm. It's when we are suddenly at the mercy of something we can't control, we can't fix, that we finally say, "I'm not enough." And a mother's prayers are finally answered. She may not have lived to see it, but her prayers have followed us wherever we've gone.

John Newton picked a pretty good word to describe a life that we're running instead of the God who gave it to us - lost. I'd still be lost, wondering why I'm here, wondering where I'm going, and what would fill the hole in my heart. If it weren't for the Man who said why He came here in our word today from the Word of God recorded in the Bible in Luke 19:10, "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost." That's what Jesus was doing when He was nailed to a cross. He said those three words that change a person's life; that change a person's eternity, "Father, forgive them."

I wonder if you have ever embraced what He did on that cross for you and made the Savior your Savior; knowing that it was your sin He was intending to forgive. But He waits to come in to become your rescuer from your sin. He's come to seek you today through our being together so He could save you for now and forever.

Do you want to know how to begin a relationship with Him? Would you go to our website and just spend a few minutes with me there? It's ANewStory.com. If you've been so blessed to have a mother who's prayed for you, that's a powerful reason to say "Thank you" and to ask her God to save you, as He has so many.

Believe me, there's no need to wait 'til the ship is coming apart.

Matthew 27:51-66, bible reading and daily devotion

 Max Lucado Daily: I Choose

It's quiet.  It's early.  For the next 12 hours I'll be exposed to the day's demands.  It's now that I must make a choice.  And so I choose-love. I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy.

I choose peace. I will live forgiven.

I choose patience-Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I'll thank God for a moment to pray.

I choose kindness-for that's how God has treated me.

I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness.  Today I'll keep my promises. My wife will not question my love.

I choose gentleness.  If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control.  I will be impassioned only by my faith and influenced only by God.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When this day is done, I'll place my head on my pillow and rest.

From When God Whispers Your Name

Matthew 27:51-66 MSG

At that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom. There was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces. What’s more, tombs were opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in their graves were raised. (After Jesus’ resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.)

54 The captain of the guard and those with him, when they saw the earthquake and everything else that was happening, were scared to death. They said, “This has to be the Son of God!”

55-56 There were also quite a few women watching from a distance, women who had followed Jesus from Galilee in order to serve him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the Zebedee brothers.

The Tomb

57-61 Late in the afternoon a wealthy man from Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, arrived. His name was Joseph. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate granted his request. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in clean linens, put it in his own tomb, a new tomb only recently cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone across the entrance. Then he went off. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary stayed, sitting in plain view of the tomb.

62-64 After sundown, the high priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate. They said, “Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will be raised.’ We’ve got to get that tomb sealed until the third day. There’s a good chance his disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying, ‘He’s risen from the dead.’ Then we’ll be worse off than before, the final deceit surpassing the first.”

65-66 Pilate told them, “You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can.” So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

    where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the Lord,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—

    he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel

    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—

    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,

    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—

    he will watch over your life;

8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going

    both now and forevermore.

Insight

The superscription for Psalm 121 is “A Song of Ascents.” This designation is actually given to the collection of psalms that includes Psalms 120–134. Called “a psalter within the psalter” by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, these songs were sung by Jewish pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem for the three primary feast times of the year. The reason for calling them songs of “ascent” is that Jerusalem is the highest point in Israel, so people going to Jerusalem were always going up.

Look To The Hills

By Bill Crowder

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. —Psalm 121:1-2

Atop Corcovado Mountain overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, stands Christ the Redeemer, one of the tallest statues of Christ in the world. Standing 30 meters tall, with arms spreading 28 meters, this sculpture weighs 635 metric tons. It can be seen day or night from almost anywhere in the city. One look to the hills brings this figure of Christ the Redeemer into view.

The New Testament tells us that Christ is not only the Redeemer, but He is also the Creator of the universe, and that Creator is in view in Psalm 121. There the psalmist challenges us to lift our eyes to the hills to see God, for our “help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (vv.1-2). He alone is sufficient to be our strength and to guide our steps as we make our way through a dangerous and troubled world.

We lift our eyes to the One who keeps us (v.3), guards us (vv.5-6), and overshadows us in the face of all types of danger. He preserves us from evil and keeps us safely in His care for all eternity (vv.7-8).

In faith, we lift our eyes to the One who is our Redeemer and Creator. He is our help and our hope and our eternal home.

O God, our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come,

Our shelter from the stormy blast,

And our eternal home! —Watts

Christ was lifted up that He might lift us up.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Thursday, July 10, 2014

The Spiritually Lazy Saint

Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together . . . —Hebrews 10:24-25

We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints. We want to stay off the rough roads of life, and our primary objective is to secure a peaceful retreat from the world. The ideas put forth in these verses from Hebrews 10 are those of stirring up one another and of keeping ourselves together. Both of these require initiative— our willingness to take the first step toward Christ-realization, not the initiative toward self-realization. To live a distant, withdrawn, and secluded life is diametrically opposed to spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.

The true test of our spirituality occurs when we come up against injustice, degradation, ingratitude, and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritually lazy. While being tested, we want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of finding a quiet retreat. We use God only for the sake of getting peace and joy. We seek only our enjoyment of Jesus Christ, not a true realization of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things we are seeking are simply effects, and yet we try to make them causes.

“Yes, I think it is right,” Peter said, “. . . to stir you up by reminding you . . .” (2 Peter 1:13). It is a most disturbing thing to be hit squarely in the stomach by someone being used of God to stir us up— someone who is full of spiritual activity. Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The real danger in spiritual laziness is that we do not want to be stirred up— all we want to hear about is a spiritual retirement from the world. Yet Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement— He says, “Go and tell My brethren . . .” (Matthew 28:10).

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Big Ears - #7174

I recently heard a story about a farmer who was suing for damages that he had incurred in an automobile accident. A truck hit his pickup truck, and

his pickup was totaled. Well, he was being cross-examined in court by the insurance company attorney who said, "Sir, the report that was taken at

the scene said you told the officer you were fine. Can you explain that?" In other words, why was he suing? And I understand the farmer said, "Me

and my old cow, Bessy, was driving down the road in my pickup truck."

Well, the attorney objected. He said, "Your Honor, wait a minute! He's not answering the question." And the judge said, "Sir, you do have to answer the question. Would you please?" "Me and my old cow, Bessy, was driving down the road in my pickup truck." Well, now the attorney is a little more ticked. He said, "He is evading the question, your Honor. I object! Make him answer the question."

The judge said, "Well, maybe we ought to hear everything he has to say." "Me and my..." You want to say it with me now? "Me and my old cow, Bessy, was driving down the road in my pickup truck, when suddenly this big old semi came across the road and hit us and threw me out of the truck; landed on the highway. Pretty soon I saw this big old officer standing over me, and I said, 'How is Bessy?' And he said, 'Well, I went over and Bessy wasn't doing well at all, so I took out my gun and I shot her.' Then he asked me, 'Now, how are you doing?'" I guess he was fine. See, hearing the rest of the story can make a very big difference.

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

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from James 1:19. In a way it's a big ears verse. Here's what it says, "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." I remember Warren Wiersbe saying one time, "People get most of their exercise jumping to conclusions." Well, it's true. It's like the attorney with that farmer. If you'd be silent long enough to hear the whole story, it might change everything.

That's probably why it says in this verse that people who are quick to listen are slow to become angry. Because they get the rest of the story, and that often makes the difference. Now, listening makes a big difference in whether or not you understand the other person. You've got to be willing to hear their whole paragraph, not just the opening sentence and you think you know the rest of it.

A lot of times we just impatiently think, "Yeah, I know what you're going to say." But listen! Hear their heart, not just their words. I mean, this is basic to a married couple being able to grow into oneness. Or people in a church or a business who have different viewpoints. It's essential to

listen to find some middle ground.

Listening also makes a big difference in whether or not you are listened to. Nowhere is this more important than between parents and kids. When a parent speaks without listening, which we so often do, that parent has forfeited a lot of authority when they speak. You cut off the communication that every parent so desperately wants. Our children need to hear our wisdom about their friends, their school work, their music, and their love life. But they're not going to hear it if we don't win the right to be heard by listening.

And when you're sharing Jesus with someone, don't be a gospel machine gun. Listen! Find out where their need is first. Find out about their background. One way to show a person you really care is to have big ears. It's very hard for someone to talk into a big mouth. Listen aggressively

with your eyes, with your hands. Ask that second or third question that shows you really care. "How are you doing?" "Fine." "Really? Are you

really?" You can't imagine how much your relationship could be improved by heeding this simple advice from the Word of God, "be quick to listen."

So here's the question for today. When I ask it, I want you to think about the people around you in your personal universe. Would they call me a

good listener? If you haven't been listening, tell them you're sorry you haven't and that you're asking God to help you change.

Beginning today, give the people around you that great gift of your big ears.

Exodus 22, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: The Definition of Greed

Jesus had a definition for greed. He called it the practice of measuring life by possessions! Greed equates a person's worth with a person's purse. You got a lot equals you are a lot. You got a little equals you are little. The consequence of such a philosophy is predictable. If you are the sum of what you own, then by all means own it all. No price is too high. No payment is too much. But God's foremost rule of finance is that we own nothing. We are managers, not owners. Stewards, not landlords. Maintenance people, not proprietors.

Our money is not ours, it is His. It's not as if God kept the future a secret. One glance at a cemetery should remind us that everyone dies. The Bible says, "The Lord owns the world and everything in it-the heavens, even the highest heavens, are his!" (Psalm 24:1). This includes our money.

From When God Whispers Your Name

Exodus 22 The Message

22 1-3 “If someone steals an ox or a lamb and slaughters or sells it, the thief must pay five cattle in place of the ox and four sheep in place of the lamb. If the thief is caught while breaking in and is hit hard and dies, there is no bloodguilt. But if it happens after daybreak, there is bloodguilt.

3-4 “A thief must make full restitution for what is stolen. The thief who is unable to pay is to be sold for his thieving. If caught red-handed with the stolen goods, and the ox or donkey or lamb is still alive, the thief pays double.

5 “If someone grazes livestock in a field or vineyard but lets them loose so they graze in someone else’s field, restitution must be made from the best of the owner’s field or vineyard.

6 “If fire breaks out and spreads to the brush so that the sheaves of grain or the standing grain or even the whole field is burned up, whoever started the fire must pay for the damages.

7-8 “If someone gives a neighbor money or things for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. If the thief is not caught, the owner must be brought before God to determine whether the owner was the one who took the neighbor’s goods.

9 “In all cases of stolen goods, whether oxen, donkeys, sheep, clothing, anything in fact missing of which someone says, ‘That’s mine,’ both parties must come before the judges. The one the judges pronounce guilty must pay double to the other.

10-13 “If someone gives a donkey or ox or lamb or any kind of animal to another for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or lost and there is no witness, an oath before God must be made between them to decide whether one has laid hands on the property of the other. The owner must accept this and no damages are assessed. But if it turns out it was stolen, the owner must be compensated. If it has been torn by wild beasts, the torn animal must be brought in as evidence; no damages have to be paid.

14-15 “If someone borrows an animal from a neighbor and it gets injured or dies while the owner is not present, he must pay for it. But if the owner was with it, he doesn’t have to pay. If the animal was hired, the payment covers the loss.

* * *

16-17 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the marriage price and marry her. If her father absolutely refuses to give her away, the man must still pay the marriage price for virgins.

18 “Don’t let a sorceress live.

19 “Anyone who has sex with an animal gets the death penalty.

20 “Anyone who sacrifices to a god other than God alone must be put to death.

21 “Don’t abuse or take advantage of strangers; you, remember, were once strangers in Egypt.

22-24 “Don’t mistreat widows or orphans. If you do and they cry out to me, you can be sure I’ll take them most seriously; I’ll show my anger and come raging among you with the sword, and your wives will end up widows and your children orphans.

25 “If you lend money to my people, to any of the down-and-out among you, don’t come down hard on them and gouge them with interest.

26-27 “If you take your neighbor’s coat as security, give it back before nightfall; it may be your neighbor’s only covering—what else does the person have to sleep in? And if I hear the neighbor crying out from the cold, I’ll step in—I’m compassionate.

28 “Don’t curse God; and don’t damn your leaders.

29-30 “Don’t be stingy as your wine vats fill up.

“Dedicate your firstborn sons to me. The same with your cattle and sheep—they are to stay for seven days with their mother, then give them to me.

31 “Be holy for my sake.

“Don’t eat mutilated flesh you find in the fields; throw it to the dogs.”

* * *

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Job 38:1-11

The Lord Speaks

“Who is this that obscures my plans

    with words without knowledge?

3 Brace yourself like a man;

    I will question you,

    and you shall answer me.

4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?

    Tell me, if you understand.

5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!

    Who stretched a measuring line across it?

6 On what were its footings set,

    or who laid its cornerstone—

7 while the morning stars sang together

    and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?

8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors

    when it burst forth from the womb,

9 when I made the clouds its garment

    and wrapped it in thick darkness,

10 when I fixed limits for it

    and set its doors and bars in place,

11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;

    here is where your proud waves halt’?

Footnotes:

    Job 38:7 Hebrew the sons of God

Insight

Our familiarity with the story of Job may cause us to overlook some of the significant aspects of his story. It is important to notice the unity of the book of Job. The wisdom, power, and control that God asks Job to consider in chapters 38–41 is the same wisdom, power, and control we read about in the opening chapters when God allows Satan to turn Job’s life upside down and inside out. We should not disconnect God’s wisdom seen in the world around us from the wisdom with which He works in our lives.

Asking Different Questions

By Dave Branon

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? —Job 38:4

When tragedy strikes, questions follow. Our loss of a loved one may lead us to ask God any number of pointed questions: “Why did You let this happen?” “Whose fault was this?” “Don’t You care about my pain?” Believe me, as the grieving father of a teenager who died tragically I have asked these very questions.

The book of Job records the questions Job asks as he sits down with friends to lament his suffering. He had lost his family as well as his health and possessions. At one point, he asks, “Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul?” (3:20). Later, he asks, “What strength do I have, that I should hope?” (6:11). And, “Does it seem good to You that You should oppress?” (10:3). Many have stood near a headstone placed too early and asked similar questions.

But when you read all the way to the end of the book, you get a surprise. When God responds to Job (chs. 38–41), He does it in an unexpected way. He turns the tables and asks Job questions—different questions that show His wisdom and sovereignty. Questions about His magnificent creation—the earth, stars, and sea. And the questions all point to this: God is sovereign. God is all-powerful. God is love. And God knows what He is doing.

We comprehend Him not,

Yet earth and heaven tell,

God sits as sovereign on the throne,

And ruleth all things well. —Gerhardt

Our greatest comfort in sorrow is to know that God is in control.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Will You Examine Yourself?

Joshua said to the people, ’You cannot serve the Lord . . .’ —Joshua 24:19

Do you have even the slightest reliance on anything or anyone other than God? Is there a remnant of reliance left on any natural quality within you, or on any particular set of circumstances? Are you relying on yourself in any manner whatsoever regarding this new proposal or plan which God has placed before you? Will you examine yourself by asking these probing questions? It really is true to say, “I cannot live a holy life,” but you can decide to let Jesus Christ make you holy. “You cannot serve the Lord . . .”— but you can place yourself in the proper position where God’s almighty power will flow through you. Is your relationship with God sufficient for you to expect Him to exhibit His wonderful life in you?

“The people said to Joshua, ’No, but we will serve the Lord!” (Joshua 24:21). This is not an impulsive action, but a deliberate commitment. We tend to say, “But God could never have called me to this. I’m too unworthy. It can’t mean me.” It does mean you, and the more weak and feeble you are, the better. The person who is still relying and trusting in anything within himself is the last person to even come close to saying, “I will serve the Lord.”

We say, “Oh, if only I really could believe!” The question is, “Will I believe?” No wonder Jesus Christ placed such emphasis on the sin of unbelief. “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58). If we really believed that God meant what He said, just imagine what we would be like! Do I really dare to let God be to me all that He says He will be?

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Breaking the "Gimme" Barrier - #7173

It is just an unforgettable experience to visit the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Everywhere you go in Haiti there are children. Their

needs are tremendous, and they're doing what they've got to do to try to meet some of those needs.

Now, they don't speak English, they speak French or Creole. But they do know a few words of English. The children that we met did know at least

three words, and they used them over and over again. Swarms of children would surround us, assuming that we were Americans and so we were rich. And

each one was saying those three words which almost came out as one, "Gimme money! Gimme money!" And they'd ask you over and over again. Now, there

are some American kids who seem to have a similar vocabulary, limited as well when they communicate with their parents. It's very hard to build a relationship on that.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Breaking the 'Gimme' Barrier."

Which brings us to our word for today from the Word of God which comes from Matthew chapter 6, beginning at verse 9, where Jesus says, "This, then, is how you should pray." He goes on to take us beyond what is our usual approach to prayer, which is not unlike those kids in Haiti, "Gimme money.

Give me what I need." Jesus shows us how to pray beyond 'gimme'.

I think you're familiar with the prayer. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in

heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." I wonder if when God sees us coming He is saying, "Here he comes again with another 'gimme'. (Whatever it is.)" "Gimme me this; gimme me that. Sure wish he/she knew how to say something else."

Maybe that's what a parent feels when most of what they hear from their son or their daughter is 'gimmes'. Jesus suggests a way to talk to God that breaks the 'gimme' barrier and opens the way to a real prayer relationship. And I think we could boil it down to what I call five sentences for heaven. I suggest to new believers that they actually write a letter to God beginning with these sentences.

Sentence number one for a real relationship is praying, "I love you." For He says, "Our Father in heaven" that affectionate term God has asked us to call Him. Why don't you just start out saying, "Lord, I love You." And spend a little time just loving your Lord and telling Him some reasons you do.

Then He talks about "hallowed be Your name" as He reflects on all that God is and all that God has done. There's a sense of being awed by God and

all He's done for them. Here's the second sentence, "Thank you for..." Review the last 24 hours and thank the Lord for some specific things He's done. Then thirdly, He says, "forgive us our debts." How about this, "Lord, I'm sorry for..."

See, the Bible says if you cherish sin in your heart the Lord will not hear you. Every time we pray we need to take out the garbage, confess our sin and say, "Lord, I am so sorry for these ways that I have displeased or hurt You."

And the fourth one is where we always like to get to, "Give us today our daily bread." Please, that's where you say, "Please." You make your requests. And you make them specific requests like daily bread. You are able to focus this awesome God on your personal need.

And then, finally, "Lord, I promise..." "Don't lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." In other words, "I want to live pure. I promise You, Lord, this is how I'm going to live today." And notice it says, "Give us today." This is a daily, updated every day prayer. "Today I

love You because_____. "Today I thank You because _____." "Today I'm sorry because _____." "Today, Lord, I need_____." "Today, I promise _____."

It's a beautiful way to pray, as you would expect from any model Jesus would give.

It's a great way to build a relationship with God beyond chasing a Father with endless "gimme" gimmes. This is prayer that takes you beyond just the pockets of your Father to your Father's heart. Isn't that where you really want to be?

Exodus 21, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: God's Grace

I've never been surprised by God's judgment, but I'm still stunned by His grace! God's judgment has never been a problem for me. Lightning bolts on Sodom…fire on Gomorrah… good job, God! Discipline is easy for me to swallow; it's logical to assimilate.

But God's grace?  Anything but. Peter denied Christ before he preached Christ. The thief on the cross was hell-bent and hung out to die one minute, then heaven-bound and smiling the next. I challenge you to find one story in the Bible of a person who came to God seeking grace and did not find it. I dare you. God gives a lot more grace than we would ever imagine.

We could do the same. I'm not for watering down the truth or compromising the Gospel. One thing is for sure. When we get to heaven, we'll be surprised at some of the folks we see.  And some of them will be surprised when they see us.

From When God Whispers Your Name

Exodus 21 The Message

21 “These are the laws that you are to place before them:

2-6 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he will serve six years. The seventh year he goes free, for nothing. If he came in single he leaves single. If he came in married he leaves with his wife. If the master gives him a wife and she gave him sons and daughters, the wife and children stay with the master and he leaves by himself. But suppose the slave should say, ‘I love my master and my wife and children—I don’t want my freedom,’ then his master is to bring him before God and to a door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl, a sign that he is a slave for life.

7-11 “When a man sells his daughter to be a handmaid, she doesn’t go free after six years like the men. If she doesn’t please her master, her family must buy her back; her master doesn’t have the right to sell her to foreigners since he broke his word to her. If he turns her over to his son, he has to treat her like a daughter. If he marries another woman, she retains all her full rights to meals, clothing, and marital relations. If he won’t do any of these three things for her, she goes free, for nothing.

12-14 “If someone hits another and death results, the penalty is death. But if there was no intent to kill—if it was an accident, an ‘act of God’—I’ll set aside a place to which the killer can flee for refuge. But if the murder was premeditated, cunningly plotted, then drag the killer away, even if it’s from my Altar, to be put to death.

15 “If someone hits father or mother, the penalty is death.

16 “If someone kidnaps a person, the penalty is death, regardless of whether the person has been sold or is still held in possession.

17 “If someone curses father or mother, the penalty is death.

18-19 “If a quarrel breaks out and one hits the other with a rock or a fist and the injured one doesn’t die but is confined to bed and then later gets better and can get about on a crutch, the one who hit him is in the clear, except to pay for the loss of time and make sure of complete recovery.

20-21 “If a slave owner hits a slave, male or female, with a stick and the slave dies on the spot, the slave must be avenged. But if the slave survives a day or two, he’s not to be avenged—the slave is the owner’s property.

22-25 “When there’s a fight and in the fight a pregnant woman is hit so that she miscarries but is not otherwise hurt, the one responsible has to pay whatever the husband demands in compensation. But if there is further damage, then you must give life for life—eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

26-27 “If a slave owner hits the eye of a slave or handmaid and ruins it, the owner must let the slave go free because of the eye. If the owner knocks out the tooth of the male or female slave, the slave must be released and go free because of the tooth.

28-32 “If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox must be stoned. The meat cannot be eaten but the owner of the ox is in the clear. But if the ox has a history of goring and the owner knew it and did nothing to guard against it, then if the ox kills a man or a woman, the ox is to be stoned and the owner given the death penalty. If a ransom is agreed upon instead of death, he must pay it in full as a redemption for his life. If a son or daughter is gored, the same judgment holds. If it is a slave or a handmaid the ox gores, thirty shekels of silver is to be paid to the owner and the ox stoned.

33-34 “If someone uncovers a cistern or digs a pit and leaves it open and an ox or donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit must pay whatever the animal is worth to its owner but can keep the dead animal.

35-36 “If someone’s ox injures a neighbor’s ox and the ox dies, they must sell the live ox and split the price; they must also split the dead animal. But if the ox had a history of goring and the owner knew it and did nothing to guard against it, the owner must pay an ox for an ox but can keep the dead animal.”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   

Read: Philippians 4:6-9

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Insight

Jesus taught us not to worry, because we can entrust our needs to our heavenly Father who loves us and cares for us deeply (Matt. 6:25-34; 7:9-11; 1 Peter 5:7). In Philippians 4, Paul follows Jesus’ example and encourages us to replace our anxieties with expectant trust and grateful prayer. The “peace of God” (v.7) is not a psychological state of mind but an inner calm or tranquility. This peace comes from a confident trust in God who answers prayers (v.6), from a disciplined spiritual perspective, and from a deliberate practice of Christian virtues (v.9). Those who entrust themselves to God will not only experience the peace of God (v.7), but “the God of peace” Himself will be with them (v.9).

Uncertain Times

By Poh Fang Chia

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:7

During a major economic downturn several years ago, many people lost their jobs. Sadly, my brother-in-law was one of them. Writing to me about their situation, my sister shared that although there were uncertainties, they had peace because they knew that God would care for them.

Believers in Jesus can have peace in the midst of uncertainties because we have the assurance that our heavenly Father loves His children and cares for our needs (Matt. 6:25-34). We can bring all our concerns to Him with an attitude of thankfulness, trusting Him to meet our needs and give us peace (Phil. 4:6-7).

“The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,” writes the apostle Paul, “will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (v.7). To say the peace of God surpasses all understanding reveals that we can’t explain it, but we can experience it as He guards our hearts and minds.

Our peace comes from the confidence that the Lord loves us and He is in control. He alone provides the comfort that settles our nerves, fills our minds with hope, and allows us to relax even in the midst of changes and challenges.

Heavenly Father, You are all-wise, all-powerful, and

all-loving. In the midst of uncertainties, help me to

rest in the certainty of who You are. I thank You

that Your peace will guard my heart. I place my trust in You.

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. —Isaiah 26:3

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Tuesday, July 08, 2014

Will To Be Faithful

. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . —Joshua 24:15

A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.

“. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . .” Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.

Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves . . .” (Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Tuesday, July 08, 2014

   

Three Ways Any Captain Can Sink His Ship - #7172

It was absolutely awful. I can remember the images of that Korean ferry just rolling into the sea with all those passengers disappearing with it beneath the waves. A lot of them were teenagers. It was heartbreaking to look at all those loved ones on the dock, grieving inconsolably over children who would never come home again. What was outrageous was that the captain was one of the first to abandon ship. They charged him with negligence of duty and abandoning people in need. Sadly, there are a lot of captains that can be charged with those crimes.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Three Ways Any Captain Can Sink His Ship."

See, I'm talking about being the captain of your family. The ship starts to drift...the crew gets confused...the vessel is in danger of a fatal turn when Dad keeps "abandoning ship."

When the cruise ship Costa Concordia shipwrecked off the coast of Italy, again it was the captain who was charged. A maritime lawyer said at that time: "The captain is the master of the vessel. Every crew member looks to the captain for guidance and leadership. It's the captain's responsibility to know the waters and avoid coming close to any shoals and reefs."

Sad to say, I've sometimes gotten too busy to know the waters that our family ship was navigating; when this captain was "below decks" at a critical point. We know there's a devastating epidemic of fatherlessness in families these days. But it isn't just dads who are physically absent. You can be emotionally absent, and that may be even more damaging; around your family but not with your family. There, but not really there. "Abandoning people in need."

A daughter, missing her father's love, ends up looking for that love in all the wrong places. A son who can't get his father's approval or attention, growing angrier by the day. A wife who's left to run things alone. In many ways, the ferry disaster mirrors the family disaster caused by a "captain's" three tragic mistakes.

Number one - leaving the wheel. It appears that the ferry captain left the ship in the hands of a third mate at a decisive turning point. How many of us husbands have forfeited leadership when the going got rough, when finances were turbulent, when discipline was needed, when hard choices had to be made? Criminal negligence.

Our word for today from the Word of God, Proverbs 27:23-24. Here's what they say: "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks. (May I say your family.) Give careful attention to your herds. For riches do not endure forever and a crown is not secure for all generations." Translation: Take care of it or risk losing it all.

There's a second way a captain can sink his family ship - looking out for me. Apparently, that ferry captain was so concerned about himself that he left his passengers to fend for themselves. "Me first" while those he was responsible for were going down.

I'm sorry, but that hits a little too close to home for some of us. Consumed with our personal pursuits, our work, recreation, sports, hobby, toys; effectively oblivious to the leadership that we're abandoning.

And then a third way that any captain can sink his ship is providing no guidance. There are dangerous passages. There are rocks to avoid. There are crises requiring direction. And a husband - a father - cannot be AWOL when a steady hand at the wheel is needed. Along with a wise, reassuring guide when the water is rising.

I have to confess this to you. I don't know how in the world to be a dad today without the power of Jesus Christ to change the man that I am, and give me the love of Christ and the power of Christ, and the insight of Christ. If I didn't have Jesus as my Savior, being a dad would have driven me to my knees to find Him. Being a dad is when you find out you're not enough by yourself. You're not in control. You're not in charge. You need a Savior.

Today if you're a dad, and maybe the ship is not going the right direction, let this be the day your family gets a new dad, as you turn that dad over to Jesus Christ. If you'll go to our website, I'd love to meet you there and talk about it. It's ANewStory.com.

Matthew 27:27-50 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Keep it Brief

I  believe in brevity.  And since you've given me a minute of your time, I shouldn't take more than my share. Over the years I've collected some "brief" statements of truth.  Share them when you can. But if you do…keep it brief!

Pray all the time.  If necessary, use words.

God forgets the past.  Imitate Him.

Greed I've often regretted.  Generosity-never.

In buying a gift for your wife, practicality can be more expensive than extravagance.

Here's another: Don't ask God to do what you want.  Ask God to do what is right.

You'll give up on yourself before God will.

Flattery is fancy dishonesty.

You'll regret opening your mouth.  You'll rarely regret keeping it shut.

And I'll close with this one:   To see sin without grace is despair.  To see grace without sin is arrogance.  To see them in tandem is conversion!

From When God Whispers Your Name

Matthew 27:27-50 

The Crucifixion

27-31 The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor’s palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun. They stripped him and dressed him in a red robe. They plaited a crown from branches of a thornbush and set it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand for a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mocking reverence: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” they said. “Bravo!” Then they spit on him and hit him on the head with the stick. When they had had their fun, they took off the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they proceeded out to the crucifixion.

32-34 Along the way they came on a man from Cyrene named Simon and made him carry Jesus’ cross. Arriving at Golgotha, the place they call “Skull Hill,” they offered him a mild painkiller (a mixture of wine and myrrh), but when he tasted it he wouldn’t drink it.

35-40 After they had finished nailing him to the cross and were waiting for him to die, they killed time by throwing dice for his clothes. Above his head they had posted the criminal charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews. Along with him, they also crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: “You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you’re really God’s Son, come down from that cross!”

41-44 The high priests, along with the religion scholars and leaders, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: “He saved others—he can’t save himself! King of Israel, is he? Then let him get down from that cross. We’ll all become believers then! He was so sure of God—well, let him rescue his ‘Son’ now—if he wants him! He did claim to be God’s Son, didn’t he?” Even the two criminals crucified next to him joined in the mockery.

45-46 From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around mid-afternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

47-49 Some bystanders who heard him said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” One of them ran and got a sponge soaked in sour wine and lifted it on a stick so he could drink. The others joked, “Don’t be in such a hurry. Let’s see if Elijah comes and saves him.”

50 But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Luke 9:1-6

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

Insight

Luke records that Jesus gave the disciples “power and authority” (9:1). He does not relate the specific situations the disciples faced or the people’s reaction to these 12 new miracle workers who were suddenly working in Israel. Instead, Luke simply found it important to record, “So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere” (v.6). Luke’s emphasis was on Jesus. He was the one who gave His disciples the authority. It’s important to remember that power and authority are always His to give.

The Jaws Of Death

By Marvin Williams

They departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. —Luke 9:6

Lauren Kornacki is glad she took that summer CPR class, but she probably never thought she would have to use it so soon and on someone she loves. Her father was repairing his car when the jack slipped and the car fell on him. Lauren, a 22-year-old, reportedly heroically lifted the 3,300-pound car enough to pull him from underneath! Then she kept him alive with CPR until the paramedics arrived.

Far greater than Lauren’s rescue of her father from the jaws of death is Jesus’ rescue of us from the clutches of sin by His death and resurrection. When Jesus sent the 12 disciples to carry out His work, He gave them the assignment to preach the good news of God’s desire to rescue people (Luke 9:1-6). They would not carry this out in their own strength, but Jesus would lift the heavy burden of people’s sin as they taught about Him. Their preaching and healing in Jesus’ power and authority proved that Jesus had actually brought God’s rule to earth.

Many today are trapped under the weight of sin, but our great God can rescue us from underneath those burdens and then send us into the world to tell others that He can set them free.

Thinking It Over

Do you know someone who is trapped under the

burden of sin and needs Jesus’ rescue? In what

practical ways can you be an active agent of Jesus’ love?

Those who’ve been rescued from sin are best able to help in the rescue of others.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Monday, July 07, 2014

All Efforts of Worth and Excellence Are Difficult

Enter by the narrow gate . . . . Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life . . . —Matthew 7:13-14

If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all efforts of worth and excellence are difficult.  The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but its difficulty does not make us faint and cave in—it stirs us up to overcome.  Do we appreciate the miraculous salvation of Jesus Christ enough to be our utmost for His highest—our best for His glory?

God saves people by His sovereign grace through the atonement of Jesus, and “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). But we have to “work out” that salvation in our everyday, practical living (Philippians 2:12). If we will only start on the basis of His redemption to do what He commands, then we will find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not yet put into practice what God has placed within us. But a crisis will reveal whether or not we have been putting it into practice. If we will obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has placed within us by His Spirit, then when a crisis does come we will find that our own nature, as well as the grace of God, will stand by us.

Thank God that He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a joyous thing, but it is also something that requires bravery, courage, and holiness. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10), and God will not shield us from the requirements of sonship. God’s grace produces men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not pampered, spoiled weaklings. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the worthy and excellent life of a disciple of Jesus in the realities of life. And it is always necessary for us to make an effort to live a life of worth and excellence.

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Monday, July 07, 2014

Hitting "Enter" - #7171

I've come a long way for a technically challenged person; from never having used a computer to using one of them quite a bit each day. I don't understand all about it, but I know how to use it.

Some lessons I've learned the hard way: Like typing in part of a book or a magazine article or notes of some kind, and then typing in a password to save it with, and then making one fatal mistake. See, apparently you have to hit this little key that says Enter or you won't be seeing that material again. Just because the information appears on the screen doesn't mean you've got it. You have to save it by pressing this Enter command.

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

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from James 1, beginning at verse 22. God says, "Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does."

Now, these verses are about people who read and hear the Bible a lot. Is that you? Oh, it appears on their mental screen often, but it's people who don't really have it. They read it and then it disappears. See, just hearing and knowing the Word of God does not a Christian make. Just because it's appeared on your screen doesn't make it yours. You've got to hit Enter.

Well, how do you do that? The passage talks about not forgetting what you've read. First of all you have to memorize it. With the pressure that you're under in your life, you've got to know it isn't enough to just have God's Words in your Bible. They've got to be in your heart so you can bring them up on your screen when the pressure's on. You need for Scripture to be a part of your personality, your intuitive responses. That happens when you memorize a promise or a challenge and then you enter it as yours.

I think you are also better able to remember when you write it down. Have you tried keeping a Jesus Journal with your Bible? It's the greatest thing I've ever done in terms of my growth in Christ. After you've read, then you write what God has said to you in your own words and then you write what you're going to do differently that day as a result of what He said. See, you're processing it; you're saving it when you write it. God's words become yours when you use them. During the day, tell someone else the words God has spoken to you. That enters it too. And most of all, you enter the truths of God when you apply what appeared on your Bible screen. In other words you ask yourself, "Lord, what can I apply today to something I'm going to face today?" And then that means that that day you do something that is a specific obedience to what you read in God's Word that morning.

Have you ever wondered how you could have heard so much Bible in your life and still be so far from your spiritual goals? Maybe it's because you've forgotten to press Enter. God's words enter your life forever when you memorize it, when you write it down, when you tell somebody else about it, and when you specifically apply it to your life.

You know, our churches are filled with people who have heard God's Word about what Christ did on the cross, coming out of His grave, our need to pin all our hopes on Jesus and make Him not just the Savior but our personal Savior. And yet those people will not be in heaven, because they knew all about Jesus but they never pressed Enter. They never opened the door of their heart to Jesus and have that saving faith transaction with Him.

If you're not sure you have, I want to invite you to check out our website and let me meet you there to help you know how to begin a relationship with Him for sure. It's ANewStory.com. Take it from someone who has lost information that he couldn't afford to lose. When the message is important, which it always is when it comes from God, make sure you've entered it into your life.

Exodus 20, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Something to Complain About

If you look hard enough and long enough, you’ll find something to complain about!

Adam and Eve did.  Surrounded by all they needed, they set their eyes on the one thing they couldn’t have.

The followers of Moses did.  They could’ve focused on the miracles, but instead they focused on their problems.

What are you looking at?  The one fruit you can’t eat?  Or the million you can?  The manna or the misery?

Philippians 4:8 says “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, lovely, of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.”

Even the garden of Eden looks gray to some.  But it needn’t to you.  Jesus who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus!  Give every day a chance!

From Great Day Every Day

Exodus 20

God spoke all these words:

I am God, your God,

who brought you out of the land of Egypt,

out of a life of slavery.

3  No other gods, only me.

4–6  No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don’t bow down to them and don’t serve them because I am God, your God, and I’m a most jealous God, punishing the children for any sins their parents pass on to them to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation of those who hate me. But I’m unswervingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments.

7  No using the name of God, your God, in curses or silly banter; God won’t put up with the irreverent use of his name.

8–11  Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. Don’t do any work—not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. For in six days God made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore God blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day.

12  Honor your father and mother so that you’ll live a long time in the land that God, your God, is giving you.

13  No murder.

14  No adultery.

15  No stealing.

16  No lies about your neighbor.

17  No lusting after your neighbor’s house—or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don’t set your heart on anything that is your neighbor’s.

18–19  All the people, experiencing the thunder and lightning, the trumpet blast and the smoking mountain, were afraid—they pulled back and stood at a distance. They said to Moses, “You speak to us and we’ll listen, but don’t have God speak to us or we’ll die.”

20  Moses spoke to the people: “Don’t be afraid. God has come to test you and instill a deep and reverent awe within you so that you won’t sin.”

21  The people kept their distance while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.

22–26  God said to Moses, “Give this Message to the People of Israel: ‘You’ve experienced firsthand how I spoke with you from Heaven. Don’t make gods of silver and gods of gold and then set them alongside me. Make me an earthen Altar. Sacrifice your Whole-Burnt-Offerings, your Peace-Offerings, your sheep, and your cattle on it. Every place where I cause my name to be honored in your worship, I’ll be there myself and bless you. If you use stones to make my Altar, don’t use dressed stones. If you use a chisel on the stones you’ll profane the Altar. Don’t use steps to climb to my Altar because that will expose your nakedness.’ ”

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Sunday, July 06, 2025

by Winn Collier

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Genesis 3:1-7

The serpent was clever, more clever than any wild animal God had made. He spoke to the Woman: “Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?”

2–3  The Woman said to the serpent, “Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It’s only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘Don’t eat from it; don’t even touch it or you’ll die.’ ”

4–5  The serpent told the Woman, “You won’t die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you’ll see what’s really going on. You’ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.”

6  When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she’d know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate.

7  Immediately the two of them did “see what’s really going on”—saw themselves naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves.

Today's Insights

In the creation account, Adam and Eve were the only creatures privileged to be created “in [God’s] own image” (Genesis 1:27) and given His own “breath of life” (2:7). They were also given the freedom to choose how they’d live (vv. 16-17). Adam and Eve made their decision and brought sin and death into the world (3:1-7). 

When God chose the Israelites to be His covenant people, they were also given a choice of whether to obey Him (Deuteronomy 11:26-28; 30:15-20). The choices they made would result in radically different outcomes—“life and prosperity, death and destruction” (30:15). Moses encouraged them to make the right choice: “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life” (v. 19). Jesus offers us the choice between the narrow road “that leads to life” and the broad road “that leads to destruction” (Matthew 7:13-14).

Choices and Consequences

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food . . . she took some and ate it. Genesis 3:6

In 1890, amateur ornithologist Eugene Schieffelin decided to release sixty European starlings into New York City’s Central Park. While there were likely several introductions of the species, Schieffelin’s released starlings resulted in the first successful, documented nesting. Now there are roughly eighty-five million of the birds flapping across the continent. Unfortunately, starlings are invasive, pushing out native bird populations, spreading disease to cattle, and causing an estimated $800 million annually in damage. Schieffelin couldn’t have imagined the damage his choice would cause.

Choices can have massive consequences. Though warned, Adam and Eve couldn’t have envisioned the disastrous ramifications of their choice on all creation. God had told them they were “free to eat from any tree in the garden” (Genesis 2:16), save one, the tree in “the middle of the garden” (3:3). But deceived by that wily serpent, “[Eve] took some and ate it” (v. 6). Then Adam followed, also choosing to eat the fruit God forbade. So much destruction, heartbreak, and ruin because of one choice.

Every time we ignore God’s wisdom and choose another path, we invite calamity. It may seem that our choice is insignificant or only affects us; however, our narrow understanding or fleeting desires can easily lead us into a world of trouble. Choosing God’s way, though, leads us to life and flourishing.

Reflect & Pray

What choice has proved disastrous for you? How can you make wiser decisions?

Dear God, please help me make wise decisions.

Learn how Jesus' decision to submit to the Father led to our salvation by reading Gardens and the History of Humanity.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Sunday, July 06, 2025

Vision and Reality

The burning sand will become a pool. —Isaiah 35:7

When God gives us a vision of what he wants us to be, there is always a time of preparation before the vision becomes a reality. During this time, God takes us down into the valley of humiliation and begins to batter us into shape.

Life is not as idle ore,

But iron dug from central gloom, . . .

And batter’d with the shocks of doom

To shape and use.

—Alfred Tennyson

It is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way. Satan comes in with his temptations, and we wonder if there’s any point in going on. But every vision will be made real if we have patience. Think of the enormous leisure of God! He is never in a hurry. We are always in a hurry. Inspired by the vision God has given us, we rush out to try to accomplish it, then meet with failure because we aren’t yet in proper shape. We have to stay in the valley with God until we get to the place where he can trust us with the reality. Ever since we first glimpsed the vision, God has been at work, battering us into the shape of the ideal. Over and over again, we escape from his hand, trying to shape ourselves.

The vision isn’t a castle in the air. It’s a vision God fully intends to make real. Trust yourself in the potter’s hands. Let God put you on his wheel and whirl you as he likes. As sure as God is God and you are you, you will turn out exactly in accordance with the vision. Don’t lose heart in the process. Once you’ve had a vision from God, you can try to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never let you.

Job 32-33; Acts 14

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

Both nations and individuals have tried Christianity and abandoned it, because it has been found too difficult; but no man has ever gone through the crisis of deliberately making Jesus Lord and found Him to be a failure.

The Love of God—The Making of a Christian, 680 R

Exodus 19, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: He Cares About You

Maybe you don’t want to trouble God with your hurts.  After all, “He’s got famines and pestilence and wars. He won’t care about my little struggles,” you think.  Why don’t you let Him decide that?

Jesus cared enough about a wedding to provide the wine. He cared enough about the woman at the well to give her answers.  1 Peter 5:7 says, “He cares about you.”

Your first step is to go to the right person.  Go to God.  Your second step is to assume the right posture.  Bow before God.  Luke 18:7 reminds us, “God will always give what is right to His people who cry to Him night and day, and He will not be slow to answer them.”

Listen to the prayer in Psalm 25:1-2: “Lord, I give myself to You, my God.  I trust You.”  So, go…bow…and trust.  It’s worth a try, don’t you think?

from Traveling Light

Exodus 19

Mount Sinai

1–2  19 Three months after leaving Egypt the Israelites entered the Wilderness of Sinai. They followed the route from Rephidim, arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai, and set up camp. Israel camped there facing the mountain.

3–6  As Moses went up to meet God, God called down to him from the mountain: “Speak to the House of Jacob, tell the People of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to me. If you will listen obediently to what I say and keep my covenant, out of all peoples you’ll be my special treasure. The whole Earth is mine to choose from, but you’re special: a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.’

“This is what I want you to tell the People of Israel.”

7  Moses came back and called the elders of Israel together and set before them all these words which God had commanded him.

8  The people were unanimous in their response: “Everything God says, we will do.” Moses took the people’s answer back to God.

9  God said to Moses, “Get ready. I’m about to come to you in a thick cloud so that the people can listen in and trust you completely when I speak with you.” Again Moses reported the people’s answer to God.

10–13  God said to Moses, “Go to the people. For the next two days get these people ready to meet the Holy God. Have them scrub their clothes so that on the third day they’ll be fully prepared, because on the third day God will come down on Mount Sinai and make his presence known to all the people. Post boundaries for the people all around, telling them, ‘Warning! Don’t climb the mountain. Don’t even touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain dies—a certain death. And no one is to touch that person, he’s to be stoned. That’s right—stoned. Or shot with arrows, shot to death. Animal or man, whichever—put to death.’

“A long blast from the horn will signal that it’s safe to climb the mountain.”

14–15  Moses went down the mountain to the people and prepared them for the holy meeting. They gave their clothes a good scrubbing. Then he addressed the people: “Be ready in three days. Don’t sleep with a woman.”

16  On the third day at daybreak, there were loud claps of thunder, flashes of lightning, a thick cloud covering the mountain, and an ear-piercing trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp shuddered in fear.

17  Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God. They stood at attention at the base of the mountain.

18–20  Mount Sinai was all smoke because God had come down on it as fire. Smoke poured from it like smoke from a furnace. The whole mountain shuddered in huge spasms. The trumpet blasts grew louder and louder. Moses spoke and God answered in thunder. God descended to the peak of Mount Sinai. God called Moses up to the peak and Moses climbed up.

21–22  God said to Moses, “Go down. Warn the people not to break through the barricades to get a look at God lest many of them die. And the priests also, warn them to prepare themselves for the holy meeting, lest God break out against them.”

23  Moses said to God, “But the people can’t climb Mount Sinai. You’ve already warned us well telling us: ‘Post boundaries around the mountain. Respect the holy mountain.’ ”

24  God told him, “Go down and then bring Aaron back up with you. But make sure that the priests and the people don’t break through and come up to God, lest he break out against them.”

25  So Moses went down to the people. He said to them:

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Saturday, July 05, 2025

by Katara Patton

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Matthew 25:1-13

The Story of the Virgins

1–5 25 “God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep.

6  “In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He’s here! The bridegroom’s here! Go out and greet him!’

7–8  “The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, ‘Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.’

9  “They answered, ‘There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.’

10  “They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.

11  “Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in.’

12  “He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you.’

13  “So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.

Today's Insights

The scene in Matthew 25:1-13 is of a bridal wedding party. Traditionally, the bride with her bridesmaids would wait at her parents’ home for the groom, who’d typically arrive after dark to begin a celebratory procession to the wedding at his parents’ home. Because the timing could vary significantly, the bridal party needed to be prepared for an indefinite amount of time. In Jesus’ parable, the groom arrives even later than usual, and some bridesmaids didn’t bring enough oil for their lamps. The wise, prepared bridesmaids couldn’t share their oil reserves without risking also running out and ruining the wedding procession. This scene offered an ideal example of the need for believers in Christ to have a posture of constant faithfulness and readiness both to meet Jesus and to serve Him, even in unpredictable times.

Grandma’s Last Night

The wise [virgins] . . . took oil in jars along with their lamps. Matthew 25:4

My grandmother had a routine on Saturday nights. Before she went to bed, she laid out all her clothing, including the shoes she planned to wear to church the next morning. She always attended the early service and wanted to be ready to get up and go the next morning without any delay. One Saturday night, she was suddenly hospitalized. Later, Jesus called her name, and she died. When my grandfather returned home from the hospital, he found her clothes laid out. She’d been prepared to go to church as well as to meet her God.

My grandmother’s ritual reminds me of the wisdom of the bridesmaids in the parable in Matthew 25. In the story, Christ tells His disciples to be ready for His coming: “Keep watch,” He said. No one knows “the day or the hour” He’ll return (v. 13), so it’s wise for us to be prepared. If we wait until the last minute to prepare, we could be like “the foolish ones” (v. 3). They ran out of oil because they hadn’t prepared well, and just after they left their posts to refill their lamps with oil, the bridegroom came.

We may not need to lay out our clothes like my grandmother, but her ritual demonstrated her desire to be ready for church as well as for her Savior. May we use her wisdom to be ready for the most important things in life, serving Jesus as He leads us and being ready for His return.

Reflect & Pray

How can you prepare for Christ’s coming? What wise choices can you make in serving Him today?

Dear Jesus, please show me how to be wise as I serve You and prepare for Your return.

Discover what the book of Revelation tells us about Jesus’ coming.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Saturday, July 05, 2025

Don’t Calculate without God

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn. —Psalm 37:5-6

Don’t calculate without God. God seems to have a delightful way of upsetting the plans we’ve made without taking him into account. When we get ourselves into circumstances that God didn’t choose for us, sooner or later we realize our mistake and are filled with worry. The only thing that keeps us from the possibility of worrying is bringing God in as the greatest factor in all our calculations.

We think it’s normal to put God first in matters of religion, but we hesitate when it comes to the practical issues of life. We worry that running to God with every little detail is burdensome or disrespectful. If we imagine that we have to put on our best Sunday mood before we draw near to God, we will never come near him. We must come as we are.

Don’t calculate with evil in view. “Love . . . keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:4–5). Does God really mean for us to take no account of evil and wrong? Love isn’t ignorant of the existence of evil, but it doesn’t treat evil as a relevant factor in making plans. When we calculate without God, all our reasoning starts from the premise that evil must be considered first. God wants us to start from a place of confidence and love.

Don’t calculate with the rainy day in view. If you are trusting Jesus Christ, you can’t set a little aside for a rainy day; you can’t be anxious about tomorrow. Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (John 14:27). God won’t prevent your heart from being troubled. It’s a command he has given to you: “Do not . . .” Pick yourself up a hundred and one times a day in order to obey. Do this until you get into the habit of putting God first and calculating with him in view.

Job 30-31; Acts 13:26-52

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

Beware of isolation; beware of the idea that you have to develop a holy life alone. It is impossible to develop a holy life alone; you will develop into an oddity and a peculiarism, into something utterly unlike what God wants you to be. The only way to develop spiritually is to go into the society of God’s own children, and you will soon find how God alters your set. God does not contradict our social instincts; He alters them. 

Biblical Psychology, 189 L