Open My Eyes / Our Daily Bread

Open My Eyes June 4, 2018

Read: John 14:23–31 Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 21–22; John 14 The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things.—John 14:26 The first time I went to the gorgeous Chora Church in Istanbul, I was able to figure out some Bible stories from the Byzantine frescos and mosaics on the ceiling. But there was much I missed. The second time, however, I had a guide. He pointed to all the details I had previously missed, and suddenly everything made perfect sense! The first aisle, for instance, depicted the life of Jesus as recorded in the gospel of Luke. Sometimes when we read the Bible we understand the basic stories, but what about the connections—those details that weave Scripture into the one perfect story? We have Bible commentaries and study tools, yes, but we also need a guide—someone to open our eyes and help us see the wonders of God’s written revelation. Our guide is the Holy Spirit who teaches us “all things” (John 14:26). Paul wrote that He explains “spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words” (1 Corinthians 2:13). How wonderful to have the Author of the Book to show us the wonders of it! God has not only given us His written Word and His revelation but He also helps us to understand it and learn from it. So let us pray with the psalmist, saying, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (Psalm 119:18). —Keila Ochoa Dear Lord, as I read Your Word, open my eyes that I may discover the wonders of Your revelation. Study more at basics.christianuniversity.org/courses/SF105. We need God in order to understand Scripture. INSIGHT: Did you do connect-the-dot puzzles as a child? When Jesus spoke in John 14:23-31 about giving His Spirit to show His disciples all they needed to know, they couldn’t yet see the picture. What He said about love, obedience, and the Spirit who would help them put it all together were still just words. Imagine what it was like to be one of Jesus’s disciples for whom what He was saying was such a mystery and a puzzle on that Passover night. Then the Spirit came and began to reveal truth. Think about how the Spirit is now, through the Scriptures, connecting the dots for you. Mart DeHaan

“The Secret of the Lord” by Oswald Chambers

“The Secret of the Lord” The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him…  PSALM 25:14 What is the sign of a friend? Is it that he tells you his secret sorrows? No, it is that he tells you his secret joys. Many people will confide their secret sorrows to you, but the final mark of intimacy is when they share their secret joys with you. Have we ever let God tell us any of His joys? Or are we continually telling God our secrets, leaving Him no time to talk to us? At the beginning of our Christian life we are full of requests to God. But then we find that God wants to get us into an intimate relationship with Himself— to get us in touch with His purposes. Are we so intimately united to Jesus Christ’s idea of prayer— “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10)— that we catch the secrets of God? What makes God so dear to us is not so much His big blessings to us, but the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us— He knows every detail of each of our individual lives. “Him shall He teach in the way He chooses” (Psalm 25:12). At first, we want the awareness of being guided by God. But then as we grow spiritually, we live so fully aware of God that we do not even need to ask what His will is, because the thought of choosing another way will never occur to us. If we are saved and sanctified, God guides us by our everyday choices. And if we are about to choose what He does not want, He will give us a sense of doubt or restraint, which we must heed. Whenever there is doubt, stop at once. Never try to reason it out, saying, “I wonder why I shouldn’t do this?” God instructs us in what we choose; that is, He actually guides our common sense. And when we yield to His teachings and guidance, we no longer hinder His Spirit by continually asking, “Now, Lord, what is Your will?” From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS It is perilously possible to make our conceptions of God like molten lead poured into a specially designed mould, and when it is cold and hard we fling it at the heads of the religious people who don’t agree with us. from Disciples Indeed

Worship That Glorifies God by Charles Stanley

Psalm 95:1-11

God created us to worship and has placed this inclination in every human heart. If people don’t worship their Creator, they’ll focus their devotion on something or someone else. That’s why there are so many religions in the world. 

As Christians, we may assume that since ours is the God of the Bible, He must be pleased with our worship of Him. But that may not be the case. Hebrews 9 refers to the old covenant, in which the Lord gave very precise instructions about how to approach Him. Although we now have direct access to the Father through the Son, we must still be careful to worship Him in ways that glorify Him—whether or not they please us. 

If we want to worship God in truth, we must avoid the following pitfalls:

Inaccurate Knowledge of God. If we’ve fashioned God according to our desires, then our worship is worthless. This is why it is so important to know the Lord as He has revealed Himself in His Word. 

Lip Service. When our hearts are far from God, we may go through the routines of worship without meaning anything we say or sing. 

Wrong Focus. If we come to church simply to have a satisfying emotional experience, we’ve missed the point. Worship is about honoring, reverencing, and adoring God with our whole being—mind, will, and heart.

Psalm 95 is a wonderful song of praise. But the writer included a warning not to be like the Israelites in the wilderness, who erred in their hearts and didn’t know God’s ways (Psalm 95:10). Instead, let’s make it our ambition to know God so we can glorify Him in our worship.

Draw Near / HOME-TAUGHT SAINTHOOD

HOME-TAUGHT SAINTHOOD

A little boy once read of a famous holy man who had sat meditating for many years in one location. That night the boy moved a stool into his mother's busy kitchen at suppertime and announced that he, like that famous saint, would not move for ten years. His mother promptly moved him. As he left, he was heard to say through his tears, "I find it's hard to be a saint at home."

It is hard to be a saint at home. That's exactly why we have homes. The great and important eternal lessons we learn in this living laboratory, we can learn no other place. If life is indeed a rehearsal for heaven, then it is imperative we learn to forgive, to be tender and kind, to go the second mile, and to give when we do not want to. The give-and-take in our homes and marriages makes us better and more Christ-like people. Remember, God's Word says: For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2:10). Our homes, labs of human experience, provide the climate for spiritual education. There we learn how to turn sermons into shoe leather.

Our marriages do not create problems, they reveal them. When some character flaw is revealed in us, we must take that flaw to our Lord for His help in correcting it.

“But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Integrity Triumphs over Pride by John MacArthur

STRENGTH FOR TODAY

Integrity Triumphs over Pride  “Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding, and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. . . . Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah” (Daniel 1:3-4, 6). Man values physical beauty and superior human capabilities, whereas God values spiritual character. As King Nebuchadnezzar was besieging Jerusalem, he received word that his father had died. So he returned to Babylon, leaving Jehoiakim, king of Judah, in power. To ensure the king’s loyalty, Nebuchadnezzar instructed Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to take some hostages from among the royal families of Israel. Among those selected were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Nebuchadnezzar’s plan was to train these young hostages in the ways of the Babylonians (Chaldeans), then press them into service as his representatives among the Jews. There were an estimated fifty to seventy-five hostages, each of whom was young (probably in his early teens), handsome, and without physical defect. In addition, each had superior intellect, education, wisdom, and social graces. Being among such a select group of people could have led to pride in Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. But self-glorification meant nothing to them. Their priority was to serve their God with humility, integrity, and fidelity. Nebuchadnezzar could look on them favorably, train them in the ways of the Chaldeans, and offer them power and influence in his kingdom, but he could never incite their pride or diminish their allegiance to the Lord. Like Babylon, our society is enamored with physical beauty and human capabilities. However, let your focus be on spiritual character and using for God’s glory the talents and abilities He has given you. Suggestions for Prayer Thank the Lord for the special gifts He has given you. Prayerfully guard your heart against subtle pride, which undermines spiritual character. For Further Study Read Daniel 4:28-36. How did God deal with King Nebuchadnezzar’s pride? What was the king’s response (see v. 37)?

Is Your Life a Mystery? by Adrian Rogers

Is Your Life a Mystery?

JUNE 3

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

Have you ever stood and watched an artist paint a picture? He starts putting his colors on canvas. He’s just splashing on the colors, mixing this one and that. You can almost hear him thinking, “A little more yellow here....”

And we say, “He’s so good--how does he do that?” Then suddenly he’ll dip his brush in some colors and go swoosh! across the canvas. We say, “Oh, you ruined it! You’ve really messed up. Let’s see how you get out of this!” Then a few more strokes and suddenly it just comes together. It’s a masterpiece!

We treat God the same way. As God puts His colors on the canvas, we look and say, “Lord, you’re really doing well.” Then all of a sudden God goes swoosh. “Lord! You’ve messed things up! How did You let this happen?” Have you ever felt that way? Of course you have, and I have too.

When I watch an artist at work, it doesn’t make sense to me, but it makes sense to him. And just because things aren’t making sense to you, don’t think they don’t make sense. In Acts 12 we see Herod’s ungodly power, James’ death, then Peter’s release. Yet all of these things were working together. We call that the sovereignty and providence of God.

In Acts chapter 12, write in the margin of your Bible  Romans 8:28, “And we know, that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose.”

June 3 / Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman

On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” — Mark 4:35

Even when we go forth at Christ’s command, we need not expect to escape storms; for these disciples were going forth at Christ’s command, yet they encountered the fiercest storm and were in great danger of being overwhelmed, so that they cried out in their distress for Christ’s assistance.

Though Christ may delay His coming in our time of distress, it is only that our faith may be tried and strengthened, and that our prayers may be more intense, and that our desires for deliverance may be increased, so that when the deliverance does come we will appreciate it more fully.

Christ gave them a gentle rebuke, saying, “Where is your faith?” Why did you not shout victory in the very face of the storm, and say to the raging winds and rolling waves, “You can do no harm, for Christ, the mighty Savior is on board”?

It is much easier to trust when the sun is shining than when the storm is raging.

We never know how much real faith we have until it is put to the test in some fierce storm; and that is the reason why the Savior is on board.

If you are ever to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, your strength will be born in some storm.
--Selected

“With Christ in the vessel,
I smile at the storm.”

Christ said, “Let us go to the other side”—not to the middle of the lake to be drowned.
--Dan Crawford

How He is Humbled by Alistair Begg

DAILY DEVOTIONAL JUNE 3, 2018

How He is Humbled

He humbled himself.
Philippians 2:8

Jesus is the great teacher of lowliness of heart. Every day we need to learn from Him. Witness the Master taking a towel and washing His disciples' feet! Follower of Christ, will you not humble yourself? Consider Him the Servant of servants, and surely you cannot be proud! This sentence sums up His life: "He humbled Himself." Isn't it true to say that on earth he was always stripping off first one robe of honor and then another until, naked, He was fastened to the cross and emptied Himself, pouring out His lifeblood, giving it up for all of us, until they laid Him penniless in a borrowed grave? Our dear Redeemer was brought low! How then can we be proud?

Stand at the foot of the cross and count the purple drops by which you have been cleansed; see the crown of thorns; mark His scourged shoulders; see hands and feet given up to the rough iron, and His whole self to mockery and scorn; see the bitterness and the pains of inward grief, showing themselves in His outward frame; hear the beleaguered cry, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" And if you do not lie prostrate on the ground before that cross, you have never seen it: If you are not humbled in the presence of Jesus, you do not know Him.

You were so lost that nothing could save you but the sacrifice of God's only Son. Think of that, and as Jesus stooped for you, bow yourself in lowliness at His feet. A sense of Christ's amazing love for us has a greater tendency to humble us than even an awareness of our own guilt. May the Lord bring our thoughts to Calvary; then our position will no longer be that of the pompous man of pride, but we will take the humble place of one who loves much because he has been forgiven much.

Pride cannot live beneath the cross. Let us sit there and learn our lesson, and then rise and carry it into practice.

Clocks and Calendars / Our Daily Bread

Clocks and Calendars June 3, 2018

Read: Psalm 62 Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 19–20; John 13:21–38 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.—Psalm 62:8 My father died at 58 years of age. Ever since then, I pause on the date he died to remember Dad and reflect on his influence in my life. When I realized I had lived more of life without my dad than with him, I began pondering the brevity of my own life. On reflection, we may wrestle with both an event in time and the feelings it stirs within us. Though we measuretime with clocks and calendars, we remember times because of events. In the moments of life that trigger our deepest emotions, we can experience joy, loss, blessing, pain, success, failure. The Scriptures encourage us: “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8). This confident statement did not occur in a time of ease. David wrote these words while surrounded by enemies (vv. 3-4). Still, he waited quietly before God (vv. 1, 5) reminding us that God’s unfailing love (v. 12) is greater than any of the times of struggle we may face. In every event, we have this confidence: Our God stands with us, and He is more than adequate to carry us through all of life’s moments. When the times of life threaten to overwhelm us, His help will be right on time. —Bill Crowder We’re grateful that You are always and will always be faithful to us, Father. Listen to the Discover the Word series, “Remembering Who God Is” at discovertheword.org/series/remembering-who-god-is/. Our God is ready to be with us in all the times of life. INSIGHT: Slowing down to consider what Psalm 62 tells us (or at least implies) about the situation that prompted the psalmist to write it can deepen our understanding of God. It helps us internalize the psalm’s teaching in a way that transforms us rather than simply informs us. These are not the blissful words of reflection from an untroubled soul. David writes from the tired depths of someone maligned and assaulted. Saying that hope comes from the Lord is simple when hope is a luxury. To say that you will not be shaken when even your friends are secretly cursing you (v. 4) is an expression of trust before, during, and after all other hopes have failed. How can you express hope in God? J.R. Hudberg

Are You Obsessed by Something? by Oswald Chambers

Are You Obsessed by Something? Who is the man that fears the Lord?  PSALM 25:12 Are you obsessed by something? You will probably say, “No, by nothing,” but all of us are obsessed by something— usually by ourselves, or, if we are Christians, by our own experience of the Christian life. But the psalmist says that we are to be obsessed by God. The abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God Himself, not just thoughts about Him. The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God. A child’s awareness is so absorbed in his mother that although he is not consciously thinking of her, when a problem arises, the abiding relationship is that with the mother. In that same way, we are to “live and move and have our being” in God (Acts 17:28), looking at everything in relation to Him, because our abiding awareness of Him continually pushes itself to the forefront of our lives. If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives— not concerns, nor tribulation, nor worries. And now we understand why our Lord so emphasized the sin of worrying. How can we dare to be so absolutely unbelieving when God totally surrounds us? To be obsessed by God is to have an effective barricade against all the assaults of the enemy. “He himself shall dwell in prosperity…” (Psalm 25:13). God will cause us to “dwell in prosperity,” keeping us at ease, even in the midst of tribulation, misunderstanding, and slander, if our “life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). We rob ourselves of the miraculous, revealed truth of this abiding companionship with God. “God is our refuge…” (Psalm 46:1). Nothing can break through His shelter of protection. From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS When you are joyful, be joyful; when you are sad, be sad. If God has given you a sweet cup, don’t make it bitter; and if He has given you a bitter cup, don’t try and make it sweet; take things as they come. from Shade of His Hand, 1226 L

Whole Life Worship by Charles Stanley

Romans 11:33-36; Romans 12:1-8

For many Christians, the word worship is synonymous with the songs we sing in church services. This is often implied when those who lead music announce to the congregation, “Let’s stand and worship.” Singing praises to God is but one aspect of what the word means—it includes much more and is not limited to Sunday morning in a church building.

When the Samaritan woman spoke to Jesus about this, He told her a time would come when the place wouldn’t be important. In that day, worship would be done in spirit and in truth (John 4:20-24), as an integral part of everything in our daily life. 

Let’s consider ways we worship God:

With our words (Rom. 11:33-36). Right after finishing a thorough explanation of doctrine to the church in Rome, Paul broke out in praise to the Lord. As our minds are filled with God’s truths, our worship will likewise overflow in prayer and songs of adoration, praise, and reverence.

With surrendered lives (Rom. 12:1-2). Instead of worshipping with animal sacrifices, we offer ourselves to the Lord through holy, obedient living. This is possible because God’s truth renews our mind, thereby transforming our life.

With service to others (Rom. 12:3-8). Everything we do can be an act of worship when it is done as unto the Lord. By His grace, He has even given us spiritual gifts that enable us to serve one another. 

Think about your choices, actions, and words throughout the day—both to God and to others. How can they be transformed into worship?

Draw Near / SERIOUS BUSINESS

SERIOUS BUSINESS

Sociologists say our age is more polygamous than any other in history. Perhaps our polygamy wears a different face, but in principle it is the same. When partners divorce, remarry, divorce and remarry again, they are accumulating spouses. In some areas of our world, the rate is as high as one out of every two marriages dissolving in divorce. This cycle of union and separation is absolutely contrary to God's Word.

The new U.S. Census Bureau data show that the divorce rate, after rising sharply in the early 1970's, has remained relatively stable-not to mention high. Fewer than half the couples who first got married in the late 1970's made it to their 25th anniversary. Of the women who first got hitched in the late 1980's, only 57% reached their 15th anniversary, compared with 79% of brides in the late 1950's.

Jesus says we are to leave our parents and "cleave to" our spouses. The verb cleave suggests there are times when we have to hold on tightly and tenaciously. Paul plainly agrees: Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband (1 Corinthians 7:10). He adds a word to the husbands: ... And a husband is not to divorce his wife (1 Corinthians 7:11).

Marriage, according to God's Word, is to be exclusive. Man is to worship one God and devote himself to one mate. The Old Testament stated that anyone guilty of coming between a husband and a wife would be put to death. Jesus goes even beyond the law forbidding adultery and says that anyone who cultivates the wish to commit adultery is already guilty of it in his heart.

Marriage is a covenant of love and loyalty between one man and one woman. It is a sacred relationship that should not be taken lightly, just as our relationship with Christ cannot be taken lightly.

“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Integrity Triumphs over Adversity by John MacArthur

STRENGTH FOR TODAY

Integrity Triumphs over Adversity  “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god” (Daniel 1:1-2). Integrity shines brightest against the backdrop of adversity. Our passage today tells of the tragic time in Israel’s history when God chastened her severely by allowing King Nebuchadnezzar and the wicked nation of Babylon to march against her and take her captive. God never coddles His people, nor does He wink at their sin. Israel’s chastening illustrates the principle that “judgment [begins] with the household of God” (1 Peter 4:17). But as severe as His discipline can be, it is always aimed at producing greater righteousness and godly integrity in His children (Heb. 12:5-11). The Babylonian captivity set the stage for a truly uncommon display of integrity from Daniel and his three Hebrew friends. In the days ahead we will examine their character in some depth. For now, however, be encouraged that adversity of any kind—even chastening for sin—is God’s way of providing the rich soil for nourishing and strengthening the spiritual fruit of integrity. Without the adversities of Babylon, Daniel’s integrity and that of his friends would not have shone as brightly as it did and would not have had the significant impact it had on King Nebuchadnezzar and his entire kingdom. Perhaps you are currently experiencing adversities that are especially challenging, and you may not yet understand what God is accomplishing through them. But like Daniel and his friends, you can pray for the wisdom to understand His will and the faith to trust Him through the process. And you can be assured He will never fail you. Suggestions for Prayer Each day your integrity is tested in many ways. Ask the Lord to help you be aware of those times and to make choices that honor Him. For Further Study Read 1 Kings 9:3-5. What kind of integrity did God require of Solomon? What promises did He make if Solomon obeyed?

How Do You React in a Crisis? by Adrian Rogers

How Do You React in a Crisis?

JUNE 2

“And he [Herod] killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.” Acts 12:2-3

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

What do you do in times of crisis? One thing we all must do, before we panic or sin against God, is respect the mysteryof God’s providence.

Throughout the pages of His Word, you’re going to see the hidden hand of God...working in mysterious, inexplicable ways. God is in the shadows arranging things people cannot see. That may be true in your life right now: God is working, but you cannot see Him working.

You may be in the middle of chaos right now. Nothing seems to be making sense. Everything you thought you had nailed down is coming loose, and the devil is pulling nails as fast as he can.

Just because it doesn’t make sense to you doesn’t mean it doesn’t make sense. Many of us have questions. As we look at Acts chapter 12, we say, “Well, how could God let a rascal like Herod be the king anyway? Isn’t God, God? If I were God, I’d turn him into a frog. And why should James be killed and Peter released? Does God have favorites? Has God lost control?”

Friend, you must grasp this important truth, or you will live your life floundering. We do not live by explanations. Life is not a problem to be solved; it is a mystery to be lived. Sometimes we must back off and simply see what I call the hidden hand of God. Just because you cannot see today the hand of God working doesn’t mean God is not working.