Bible in One Year: January 31

 Bible in One Year: Exodus 25-26; Matthew 20:17-34

Do You See Your Calling? / Oswald Chambers

 

Do You See Your Calling? …separated to the gospel of God… ROMANS 1:1 Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all–important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell— it is redemption. The need to perceive this is the most vital need of the Christian worker today. As workers, we have to get used to the revelation that redemption is the only reality. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes. Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who separated me…” (Galatians 1:15 ). Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption. Christian workers fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire to know God. “Don’t ask me to be confronted with the strong reality of redemption on behalf of the filth of human life surrounding me today; what I want is anything God can do for me to make me more desirable in my own eyes.” To talk that way is a sign that the reality of the gospel of God has not begun to touch me. There is no reckless abandon to God in that. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character. Paul was not conscious of himself. He was recklessly abandoned, totally surrendered, and separated by God for one purpose— to proclaim the gospel of God (see  Romans 9:3). Bible in One Year: Exodus 25-26; Matthew 20:17-34

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

Go to the Ant / Charles Stanley

Go to the Ant

God tells us in His Word that we can learn much from His creation.

Proverbs 6:6-8

God is a masterful Creator. He has integrated many of His principles into the fabric of nature so we can learn about Him by observing His handiwork (Psalm 19:1-6). If you desire wisdom, look outdoors for His lessons. 

Of course, the outdoors sometimes comes inside. If you have ever battled ants in your kitchen or pantry, wisdom probably isn’t the first trait you’d attribute to them—you would likely choose a description more like determination. But to the lazy person, God points out these tiny creatures as an example of wise living. Simply consider how many characteristics of the ant would be smart for people to adopt: preparation, cooperation, perseverance, diligence, unity, and the list goes on. So, interacting with righteous men isn’t the only way to acquire wisdom. God also wants us to observe the lowly ant, which He designed to work in community. 

There’s much to learn from the created world. Our quest for wisdom is to be rooted in Scripture and covered in prayer. But don’t overlook the many lessons unfolding right outside the front door. Ask God for eyes that truly see (Mark 8:18). Then take every chance to grow in understanding so your capacity to live by His principles will be strengthened. 

 

God Always Answers with What We Need / Adrian Rogers

 God Always Answers with What We Need

Matthew 6:8

Sermon: 2190 When Prayer Seems Unanswered, Part 2

Pray Over This

“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

Matthew 6:8

Ponder This

Have you ever asked God for something and didn’t get it, but later your eyes were opened and you thanked God for that unanswered prayer? This is a silly illustration, but when I was a kid, I saw an old car that was being sold for $125, and I prayed for God to give me the money to get it. God didn’t answer my prayer. Somebody else got that car, the motor fell out of it, and I had to thank God that He did not answer that prayer. You see, prayer may be specifically denied. It may be strategically delayed, and it may be significantly different than you expected.

On a more serious note, I once fasted and prayed for something and did not receive an answer from God. One day, God spoke to me. He said, “Adrian, I heard your prayer a long time ago. You’re asking me to do something that I’m not going to do. You’re asking me to reach in and change somebody’s heart against that person’s will, and I don’t operate that way. But Adrian, I know the need of your heart. I know what you want. I know what you need. And your prayer is heard.” As I look back, I see how clear that was and how great our God is. If God doesn’t give us what we ask, He will give us something better and sweeter than we ask, if we ask Him in the wonderful name of Jesus.

• When in your life have you wrestled with unanswered prayers?
• Who can you remind of God’s love and of His ability and faithfulness to answer prayer?

Practice This

Encourage someone you know who is wrestling with unanswered prayer. Ask your friend how he or she is doing and really listen. Then remind that person that God hears and will do exactly what is needed!

Sustainer of Blessings / ODB

 

Sustainer of Blessings Remember the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 8:18 READ Deuteronomy 8:10–18 On January 15, 1919, a huge molasses tank burst in Boston. A fifteen-foot wave of more than two million gallons of molasses careened through the street at over 30 mph, sweeping away railcars, buildings, people, and animals. Molasses might seem harmless enough, but that day it was deadly: 21 people lost their lives with more than 150 injured. Sometimes even good things—like molasses—can overwhelm us unexpectedly. Before the Israelites entered the land God promised them, Moses  warned the people to be careful not to take credit for the good things they’d receive: “When you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase . . . , then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God.” They weren’t to attribute this wealth to their own strength or capabilities. Instead, Moses said, “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:12–14, 17–18).   All good things—including physical health and the skills needed to earn a living—are blessings from the hand of our loving God. Even when we’ve worked hard, it’s He who sustains us. Oh, to hold our blessings with open hands, that we may gratefully praise God for His kindness to us! By James Banks What kindnesses from God are you thankful for today? Who can you help with a blessing you’ve received? Thank You, Father, for sustaining me every moment. Please help me to recognize Your kindness, so I may share it with others. For further study, read Compassion: Learning to Love Like Jesus.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT As Deuteronomy opens, the Israelites are preparing to enter the promised land. In this final book attributed to Moses, he recounts the law and reminds the people to remember all God has done for them. In today’s passage, the Israelites are called to remember and obey God when they settle in their new land, for He was and will be the source of their blessings (Deuteronomy 8:17–18). God miraculously delivered them from slavery and the Egyptians, led them through the desert, provided manna, and even kept their clothes from wearing out (5:15; 7:18; 8:2–4; 15:15; 16:3, 12; 24:18, 22). Alyson Kieda

He Can Use Anyone / Billy Graham

He Can Use Anyone

Helen Keller, who is a classic example of handling life’s handicaps, said, “I thank God for my handicaps, for through them I have found myself, my work, and my God.” Some people with handicaps drown themselves in self-pity, and thus limit their usefulness and service to mankind and to God. The Apostle Paul knew the pangs of suffering. He used his infirmity rather than allowing his infirmity to use him, and he used it for the glory of God. He seized everything, even death, to glorify his Lord. No matter which way fate turned, he was one jump ahead of it, and using it to magnify his Savior.

Daily Prayer

Even my handicaps can be used by You, Lord Jesus. Like the Apostle Paul, let me rise above them for Your glory.

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭21‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬ 

Have No Fear! / David Jeremiah

 

Have No Fear! The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 When we walk into a new situation in life, there is often some fear in our heart. Whether it’s the first day of school in a new town or the first day at a new job, venturing into the unknown can make us feel anxious and fearful. It is only when we begin to build relationships and adjust to our surroundings that the fear subsides. The unfamiliar becomes familiar.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 27

Investing in our relationship with the Lord has the same effect. When we spend time with our Heavenly Father, the fears in our life subside. When we study His Word, we see how He protected His children from their enemies and worked miracles on their behalf. We become confident in His unchanging love and care for us.  Our God is all-powerful. He is with us no matter where we are or what we are experiencing. He alone makes the unfamiliar familiar and changes our fear into peace.  Allow these truths to settle into your heart and mind so that when fear comes, you can be confident knowing who your God is. If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear. John Newton

We’re in This Together / Greg Laurie

 We’re in This Together

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. (Ephesians 4:3 NLT)

When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you become part of the church. You are a part of the body of Christ. And because we’re all together in this new family, we should do nothing to unnecessarily disrupt it.

In Ephesians 4 the apostle Paul used the human body to illustrate the church. He wrote, “For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all” (verses 4–6 NLT).

Paul was saying that we need to keep unity in the church. For instance, all the parts of your body need to work together. Your brain sends signals to your hands, and your hands do thus and so, working together. You don’t want your hands to break loose and do their own thing.

In the same way, the church must work together as a body. We are part of the body of Christ, and we need to cooperate with each other.

However, Paul wasn’t saying that it doesn’t matter what we believe as long as we work together. Sometimes in our desire for unity, we can end up embracing the wrong people and the wrong beliefs.

We do not want to have unity with someone who doesn’t believe in the essentials of the Christian faith. That doesn’t mean we’re rude. We can disagree and still be pleasant.

But unity between brothers and sisters in Christ is a different issue. We might have differing viewpoints on the order of prophetic events or some other thing. But we shouldn’t break fellowship over that. We build our unity on the truth of what we have learned in Scripture, on the fundamentals of the Christian faith.

Hope for Today / January 31

 To whom can you bare your soul? Are there confidants among your acquaintances? Too many dark secrets make the heart a mausoleum.

James instructs us to confess our sins to one another. Confession is the enlistment of a friend to aid us in the fight against temptation. It’s the unlocking of a prison door. It is also a hedge against pride, which precedes a fall. We often resist accountability because of a violated trust. Past betrayal convinces us to go it alone. We reason along these lines: “Because I’ve been burned I’ll never risk again.”

If we were so short-sighted in other arenas, we would never learn to walk, sing, dance or write. Trial and error, even painful error, accounts for much of our learning. If we lock the doors and close the shutters because somebody let us down, we live in darkness, never seeing the light of forgiveness and restoration that dawn with the encouragement of a friend.

Choosing one with whom to share your struggles should be a prayerful, careful, and thoughtful decision. Choosing to go it alone ensures disaster.

“For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Daily Encouragement / January 31

These words occur in a paragraph where the eating of blood is forbidden. It is so legislated against because “it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” The fact that there is need for atonement and that this atonement is made by blood - that is, by life given up in death - is stated here and recognized throughout Scripture.

The words here which seem to shine with special light are these: “I have given it to you.” “Given!” comments P. T. Forsyth. “Did you ever see the force of it?” “I have given you the blood to make atonement. This is an institution which I set up for you to comply with, set it up for purposes of my own, but it is My gift.” The Lord Himself provided the lamb for the burnt offering.

The grace of God provides the sacrifice which the holiness of God demands. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16), and he gave him up to the cross. “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement” (Rom. 3:25). None of this is man’s doing; “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ” (2 Cor. 5:18). We take “the cup of salvation,” but it is given us by nail-pierced hands.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’”

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭17‬:‭11‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬ 

Invite the World! / Ann Graham Lotz

 Invite the World!

In My Father’s house are many mansions.

John 14:2,nkjv

Heaven is a big place! “In my Father’s house are many mansions”—room enough for anyone and everyone who chooses to be a member of God’s family! So please feel free to invite your entire family—including in-laws and out-laws, every one of your friends, all of your neighbors, the total population of your city, your state, your nation— everybody in the whole wide world!

Heaven is a great big place where all are invited to come!

The Samaritan Woman / Max Lucado

 

The Samaritan Woman

Click below to listen to today's devotional

THE SAMARITAN WOMAN 

“Where is God? My people say he is on the mountain. Your people say he is in Jerusalem. I don’t know where he is” (John 4:20).

I’d give a thousand sunsets to see the expression on the face of Jesus as he heard those words from the Samaritan woman. Did his eyes water? Did he smile? Did he look up and wink at his Father? Of all the places to find a hungry heart—Samaria? And of all the Samaritans to be searching for God—a woman? And of all the women to have an insatiable appetite for God—a five-time divorcée.

“I am the Messiah,” he told her (v. 26). Don’t miss the drama of the moment. Look at her eyes, wide with amazement. Suddenly the insignificance of her life was swallowed by the significance of the moment. “God is here! God has come! And God cares…for me!”

Bible in One Year: January 30

 Bible in One Year: Exodus 23-24; Matthew 20:1-16

The Dilemma of Obedience/ Oswald Chambers

 

The Dilemma of Obedience Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. 1 SAMUEL 3:15 God never speaks to us in dramatic ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand. Then we say, “I wonder if that is God’s voice?” Isaiah said that the Lord spoke to him “with a strong hand,” that is, by the pressure of his circumstances (Isaiah 8:11). Without the sovereign hand of God Himself, nothing touches our lives. Do we discern His hand at work, or do we see things as mere occurrences? Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance (1 Samuel 3:9 ). Every time circumstances press in on you, say, “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline— it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? Was it Luke 11:13, or was it 1 Thessalonians 5:23? As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time. Should I tell my “Eli” what God has shown to me? This is where the dilemma of obedience hits us. We disobey God by becoming amateur providences and thinking, “I must shield ‘Eli,’ ” who represents the best people we know. God did not tell Samuel to tell Eli— he had to decide that for himself. God’s message to you may hurt your “Eli,” but trying to prevent suffering in another’s life will prove to be an obstruction between your soul and God. It is at your own risk that you prevent someone’s right hand being cut off or right eye being plucked out (see Matthew 5:29–30). Never ask another person’s advice about anything God makes you decide before Him. If you ask advice, you will almost always side with Satan. “…I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood…” (Galatians 1:16). Bible in One Year: Exodus 23-24; Matthew 20:1-16

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS God created man to be master of the life in the earth and sea and sky, and the reason he is not is because he took the law into his own hands, and became master of himself, but of nothing else.

Running on Empty / ODB

Running on Empty They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 READ Isaiah 40:28–31 “I just don’t think I can do this anymore,” my friend said through her tears as she discussed the overwhelming sense of hopelessness she faced as a nurse in a global health crisis. “I know that God has called me to nursing, but I’m overwhelmed and emotionally drained,” she confessed. Seeing that a cloud of exhaustion had come over her, I responded, “I know you feel helpless right now, but ask God to give you the direction you’re seeking and the strength to persevere.” At that moment, she decided to intentionally seek God through prayer. Soon after, my friend was invigorated with a new sense of purpose. Not only was she emboldened to continue nursing, but God also gave her the strength to serve even more people by traveling to hospitals around the country. As believers in Jesus, we can always look to God for help and encouragement when we feel overburdened because “He will not grow tired or weary” (Isaiah 40:28). The prophet Isaiah states that our Father in heaven “gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (v. 29). Though God’s strength is everlasting, He knows that we’ll inevitably have days when we’re physically and emotionally consumed (v. 30). But when we look to God for our strength instead of trying to sprint through life’s challenges alone, He’ll restore and renew us and give us the resolve to press on in faith. By Kimya Loder When have you tried to handle overwhelming situations alone? How might you look to God for help? Dear God, thank You for helping me when the challenges of life seem unbearable. For further study, read Why Doesn’t God Answer Me? Trusting in Times of Doubt and Trial.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT God had warned an unrepentant Judah that He would use two pagan superpowers, the Assyrians and the Babylonians, to discipline them for their unfaithfulness (Isaiah 1–39). Then the prophet Isaiah comforted Judah with the promise that God would restore and bless them once the discipline was completed (chs. 40–66). In chapter 40, Isaiah spoke tenderly of God’s loving care for them—“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart” (v. 11). Isaiah also extolled the sovereignty, authority, and omnipotence of God (vv. 1–26). Addressing their sense of abandonment (v. 27), the prophet assured them that God wasn’t only resolute in blessing them but also had the absolute power to do so (v. 28). As the everlasting, omnipotent Creator, He was the source of their strength (v. 29). Isaiah called on these despondent Jews to trust God to carry out His promises (vv. 30–31). K. T. Sim

 

The Throne of Grace / Charles Stanley

The Throne of Grace

Hebrews 4:14-16

Almighty God is righteous and just. Romans 3:23 tells us that all people have sinned and are inadequate to be in His presence. As a result of His wrath against sin, we were doomed to eternal separation from Him.

But thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. In His love and mercy, God sent His Son to walk among us. Jesus experienced the hardship and temptation common to all people, yet He never sinned. The Savior chose to die a gruesome death in our place, paying the penalty for our wrongs.

There is no deeper love, Scripture tells us, than a man who gives up his life for a friend (John 15:13). Jesus went even farther—dying for us while we were still His enemies (Rom. 5:10). In fact, He would have sacrificed Himself even if you were the only person ever to exist.

Promising forgiveness and eternal life, Christ asks sinful man to believe and follow Him. When we trust in Jesus, we are adopted as God’s children and receive His indwelling Spirit, who blesses abundantly with joy, peace, and guidance. Always welcome before the Throne of Grace, believers have access to converse with the Father at any time. He promises to hear and respond to our seeking, repentant hearts. And Jesus intercedes for us, praying on our behalf.

We don’t deserve the Lord’s invitation to have an intimate relationship with Him. Yet in His grace, He is loving and compassionate toward us. What a privilege to be able to approach the King’s throne, knowing He listens, understands, and cares. Rest in God’s love, and enjoy sweet fellowship with Him.

 

Are You Seeking the Will of God? / Adrian Rogers

 Are You Seeking the Will of God?

James 4:1-4

Sermon: 2190 When Prayer Seems Unanswered, Part 1

Pray Over This

“Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

James 4:1-4

Ponder This

Sometimes our prayers are utterly selfish rather than God-centered. That’s one reason we don’t get our prayers answered. But do you know what enmity with God means? It’s talking about warfare. When James mentioned adulterers and adulteresses, he wasn’t talking literally; he was talking spiritually. Christ is the bridegroom and we’re the bride. And if we want anything that the bridegroom does not want, we are flirting with this world, and we are taking away our love from our Lord and Savior the bridegroom. To love this world is spiritual adultery, and it is enmity, warfare, with God. Don’t have a girlfriend called “This World,” if you are a Spirit-filled man. And if you’re a Spirit-filled woman, don’t have a boyfriend called “This World.” That is spiritual adultery. Many times, we ask God for things in this way. We ask God to underwrite our worldliness. We ask God to underwrite our carnality.

Whenever you pray about anything and the answer doesn’t come, ask yourself this question: Are my motives pure? Am I earnestly, sincerely, with all my heart, seeking the will of God? And sometimes the answer, therefore, may be simply denied.

• When have you prayed with selfish intentions?
• What does it look like to earnestly seek the will of God with all your heart?

Practice This

Read Psalm 51:10. Take some time to pray and ask God where there has been selfishness in your heart.