He called you to share in his glory in Christ, a glory that will continue forever.
1 Peter 5:10
To believe we are totally and eternally debt free is seldom easy. Even if we’ve stood before the throne and heard it from the king himself, we still doubt. As a result, many are forgiven only a little, not because the grace of the king is limited, but because the faith of the sinner is small. God is willing to forgive all. He’s willing to wipe the slate completely clean. He guides us to a pool of mercy and invites us to bathe. Some plunge in, but others just touch the surface. They leave feeling unforgiven.…
Where the grace of God is missed, bitterness is born. But where the grace of God is embraced, forgiveness flourishes.…
The more we immerse ourselves in grace, the more likely we are to give grace.
In the Grip of Grace
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
NOTE: This will be the final Gospel Pearl for 2007. I have enjoyed sharing the words of Max Lucado through these daily devotions. If you wish to revisit them, they are posted under "What I Have Said In The Past". After the New Year holiday, we will restart the weekday Gospel Pearls. The format will change but you can expect them to remain brief and include a thought provoking scripture. There is always room for a prayer request and/or praise report. Just send it to me via a comment. I know we have some mighty and faithful prayer warriors among our readers. They have a track record that points to God’s glory and grace. Have a Happy New Year!
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 393
Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
ADMISSION INTO JOY
You took away my clothes of sadness, and clothed me in happiness.
Psalm 30:11
The first step to joy is a plea for help, an acknowledgment of moral destitution, an admission of inward paucity. Those who taste God’s presence have declared spiritual bankruptcy and are aware of their spiritual crisis. Their cupboards are bare. Their pockets are empty. Their options are gone. They have long since stopped demanding justice; they are pleading for mercy.…
They ask God to do for them what they can’t do without him. They have seen how holy God is and how sinful they are and have agreed with Jesus’ statement, “Salvation is impossible.”
Oh, the irony of God’s delight—born in the parched soil of destitution rather than the fertile ground of achievement.
It’s a different path, a path we’re not accustomed to taking. We don’t often declare our impotence. Admission of failure is not usually admission into joy. Complete confession is not commonly followed by total pardon. But then again, God has never been governed by what is common.
The Applause of Heaven [1]
Today's Scripture in Context
[1] Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 392
Psalm 30:11
The first step to joy is a plea for help, an acknowledgment of moral destitution, an admission of inward paucity. Those who taste God’s presence have declared spiritual bankruptcy and are aware of their spiritual crisis. Their cupboards are bare. Their pockets are empty. Their options are gone. They have long since stopped demanding justice; they are pleading for mercy.…
They ask God to do for them what they can’t do without him. They have seen how holy God is and how sinful they are and have agreed with Jesus’ statement, “Salvation is impossible.”
Oh, the irony of God’s delight—born in the parched soil of destitution rather than the fertile ground of achievement.
It’s a different path, a path we’re not accustomed to taking. We don’t often declare our impotence. Admission of failure is not usually admission into joy. Complete confession is not commonly followed by total pardon. But then again, God has never been governed by what is common.
The Applause of Heaven [1]
Today's Scripture in Context
[1] Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 392
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
THE STRENGTH OF GOD’S LOVE
God shows his great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners.
Romans 5:8
“Can anything make me stop loving you?” God asks. “Watch me speak your language, sleep on your earth, and feel your hurts. Behold the maker of sight and sound as he sneezes, coughs, and blows his nose. You wonder if I understand how you feel? Look into the dancing eyes of the kid in Nazareth; that’s God walking to school. Ponder the toddler at Mary’s table; that’s God spilling his milk.
“You wonder how long my love will last? Find your answer on a splintered cross, on a craggy hill. That’s me you see up there, your maker, your God, nail-stabbed and bleeding. Covered in spit and sin-soaked.
That’s your sin I’m feeling. That’s your death I’m dying. That’s your resurrection I’m living. That’s how much I love you.”
In the Grip of Grace
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 391
Romans 5:8
“Can anything make me stop loving you?” God asks. “Watch me speak your language, sleep on your earth, and feel your hurts. Behold the maker of sight and sound as he sneezes, coughs, and blows his nose. You wonder if I understand how you feel? Look into the dancing eyes of the kid in Nazareth; that’s God walking to school. Ponder the toddler at Mary’s table; that’s God spilling his milk.
“You wonder how long my love will last? Find your answer on a splintered cross, on a craggy hill. That’s me you see up there, your maker, your God, nail-stabbed and bleeding. Covered in spit and sin-soaked.
That’s your sin I’m feeling. That’s your death I’m dying. That’s your resurrection I’m living. That’s how much I love you.”
In the Grip of Grace
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 391
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
An EXTRA-Ordinary Night
Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ, the Lord.
Luke 2:11
An ordinary night with ordinary sheep and ordinary shepherds. And were it not for a God who loves to hook an “extra” on the front of the ordinary, the night would have gone unnoticed. The sheep would have been forgotten, and the shepherds would have slept the night away.
But God dances amidst the common. And that night he did a waltz.
The black sky exploded with brightness. Trees that had been shadows jumped into clarity. Sheep that had been silent became a chorus of curiosity. One minute the shepherd was dead asleep, the next he was rubbing his eyes and staring into the face of an alien.
The night was ordinary no more.
The angel came in the night because that is when lights are best seen and that is when they are most needed. God comes into the common for the same reason. His most powerful tools are the simplest.
The Applause of Heaven
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
God's Surprising Answer - Day Fifteen <-- Click here for another seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 386
Luke 2:11
An ordinary night with ordinary sheep and ordinary shepherds. And were it not for a God who loves to hook an “extra” on the front of the ordinary, the night would have gone unnoticed. The sheep would have been forgotten, and the shepherds would have slept the night away.
But God dances amidst the common. And that night he did a waltz.
The black sky exploded with brightness. Trees that had been shadows jumped into clarity. Sheep that had been silent became a chorus of curiosity. One minute the shepherd was dead asleep, the next he was rubbing his eyes and staring into the face of an alien.
The night was ordinary no more.
The angel came in the night because that is when lights are best seen and that is when they are most needed. God comes into the common for the same reason. His most powerful tools are the simplest.
The Applause of Heaven
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
God's Surprising Answer - Day Fifteen <-- Click here for another seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 386
Thursday, December 20, 2007
THE GIFT IS GOD-GIVEN
Every good action and every perfect gift is from God. These good gifts come down from the Creator of the sun, moon, and stars, who does not change like their shifting shadows.
James 1:17
The conclusion is unavoidable: self-salvation simply does not work. Man has no way to save himself.
But Paul announces that God has a way. Where man fails God excels. Salvation comes from heaven downward, not earth upward. “Every good action and every perfect gift is from God” (James 1:17).
Please note: Salvation is God-given, God-driven, God-empowered, and God-originated. The gift is not from man to God. It is from God to man.
In the Grip of Grace
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
Where Is The Baby Jesus? <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 385
James 1:17
The conclusion is unavoidable: self-salvation simply does not work. Man has no way to save himself.
But Paul announces that God has a way. Where man fails God excels. Salvation comes from heaven downward, not earth upward. “Every good action and every perfect gift is from God” (James 1:17).
Please note: Salvation is God-given, God-driven, God-empowered, and God-originated. The gift is not from man to God. It is from God to man.
In the Grip of Grace
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
Where Is The Baby Jesus? <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 385
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
DOWN ON YOUR KNEES
God is against the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.
James 4:6
A small cathedral outside Bethlehem marks the supposed birthplace of Jesus. Behind a high altar in the church is a cave, a little cavern lit by silver lamps.
You can enter the main edifice and admire the ancient church. You can also enter the quiet cave where a star embedded in the floor recognizes the birth of the King. There is one stipulation, however. You have to stoop. The door is so low you can’t go in standing up.
The same is true of the Christ. You can see the world standing tall, but to witness the Savior, you have to get [down] on your knees.
The Applause of Heaven
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
A Real Christmas - Day Thirteen <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 384
James 4:6
A small cathedral outside Bethlehem marks the supposed birthplace of Jesus. Behind a high altar in the church is a cave, a little cavern lit by silver lamps.
You can enter the main edifice and admire the ancient church. You can also enter the quiet cave where a star embedded in the floor recognizes the birth of the King. There is one stipulation, however. You have to stoop. The door is so low you can’t go in standing up.
The same is true of the Christ. You can see the world standing tall, but to witness the Savior, you have to get [down] on your knees.
The Applause of Heaven
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
A Real Christmas - Day Thirteen <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 384
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
ROOM FOR GOD?
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.
Revelation 3:20
Some of the saddest words on earth are: “We don’t have room for you.”
Jesus knew the sound of those words. He was still in Mary’s womb when the innkeeper said, “We don’t have room for you.” …
And when he was hung on the cross, wasn’t the message one of utter rejection? “We don’t have room for you in this world.”
Even today Jesus is given the same treatment. He goes from heart to heart, asking if he might enter.…
Every so often, he is welcomed. Someone throws open the door of his or her heart and invites him to stay. And to that person Jesus gives this great promise: … “In my father’s house are many rooms.” …
What a delightful promise he makes us! We make room for him in our hearts, and he makes room for us in his house.
When Christ Comes
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
A Gift of Shelter - Day Twelve <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 383
Revelation 3:20
Some of the saddest words on earth are: “We don’t have room for you.”
Jesus knew the sound of those words. He was still in Mary’s womb when the innkeeper said, “We don’t have room for you.” …
And when he was hung on the cross, wasn’t the message one of utter rejection? “We don’t have room for you in this world.”
Even today Jesus is given the same treatment. He goes from heart to heart, asking if he might enter.…
Every so often, he is welcomed. Someone throws open the door of his or her heart and invites him to stay. And to that person Jesus gives this great promise: … “In my father’s house are many rooms.” …
What a delightful promise he makes us! We make room for him in our hearts, and he makes room for us in his house.
When Christ Comes
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
A Gift of Shelter - Day Twelve <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 383
Monday, December 17, 2007
BECAUSE OF OUR NEED
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:17
Can you imagine prospective parents saying, “We’d like to adopt Johnny, but first we want to know a few things. Does he have a house to live in? Does he have money for tuition? Does he have a ride to school every morning and clothes to wear every day? Can he prepare his own meals and mend his own clothes?”
No agency would stand for such talk. Its representative would lift her hand and say, “Wait a minute. You don’t understand. You don’t adopt Johnny because of what he has; you adopt him because of what he needs. He needs a home.”
The same is true with God. He doesn’t adopt us because of what we have. He doesn’t give us his name because of our wit or wallet or good attitude.… Adoption is something we receive, not something we earn.
The Great House of God
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
Gifts Within a Gift - Day 11 <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 382
John 3:17
Can you imagine prospective parents saying, “We’d like to adopt Johnny, but first we want to know a few things. Does he have a house to live in? Does he have money for tuition? Does he have a ride to school every morning and clothes to wear every day? Can he prepare his own meals and mend his own clothes?”
No agency would stand for such talk. Its representative would lift her hand and say, “Wait a minute. You don’t understand. You don’t adopt Johnny because of what he has; you adopt him because of what he needs. He needs a home.”
The same is true with God. He doesn’t adopt us because of what we have. He doesn’t give us his name because of our wit or wallet or good attitude.… Adoption is something we receive, not something we earn.
The Great House of God
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
Gifts Within a Gift - Day 11 <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 382
Friday, December 14, 2007
EVERY CHILD HAS A NAME
I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, as the Father knows me. And my sheep know me.
John 10:14
The shepherd knows his sheep. He calls them by name.
When we see a crowd, we see exactly that, a crowd.… We see people, not persons, but people. A herd of humans. A flock of faces. That’s what we see.
But not so with the Shepherd. To him every face is different. Every face is a story. Every face is a child. Every child has a name.…
The shepherd knows his sheep. He knows each one by name. The Shepherd knows you. He knows your name. And he will never forget it.
When God Whispers Your Name
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
First Breath - Day Ten <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 379
John 10:14
The shepherd knows his sheep. He calls them by name.
When we see a crowd, we see exactly that, a crowd.… We see people, not persons, but people. A herd of humans. A flock of faces. That’s what we see.
But not so with the Shepherd. To him every face is different. Every face is a story. Every face is a child. Every child has a name.…
The shepherd knows his sheep. He knows each one by name. The Shepherd knows you. He knows your name. And he will never forget it.
When God Whispers Your Name
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
First Breath - Day Ten <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 379
Thursday, December 13, 2007
THE UNSPEAKABLE PRICE
To all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:12
While we lived in Rio de Janeiro, we met several American families who came to Brazil to adopt children. They would spend days, sometimes weeks, immersed in a different language and a strange culture. They fought the red tape and paid the large fees, all with the hope of taking a child [home] to the United States.…
Hasn’t God done the same for us? He entered our culture, battled the resistance, and paid the unspeakable price which adoption required. Legally we are his. He owns us. We have every legal privilege accorded to [his] child. We are just waiting for him to return. We are, as Paul said, “waiting for God to finish making us his own children” (Romans 8:23).
When Christ Comes
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
O Holy Night - Day Nine <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 378
John 1:12
While we lived in Rio de Janeiro, we met several American families who came to Brazil to adopt children. They would spend days, sometimes weeks, immersed in a different language and a strange culture. They fought the red tape and paid the large fees, all with the hope of taking a child [home] to the United States.…
Hasn’t God done the same for us? He entered our culture, battled the resistance, and paid the unspeakable price which adoption required. Legally we are his. He owns us. We have every legal privilege accorded to [his] child. We are just waiting for him to return. We are, as Paul said, “waiting for God to finish making us his own children” (Romans 8:23).
When Christ Comes
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
O Holy Night - Day Nine <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 378
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
GOD ISN’T HARD TO FIND
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:6 NKJV
What a surprising way to describe God. A God who pursues us.
Dare we envision a mobile, active God who chases us, tracks us, following us with goodness and mercy all the days of our lives? He’s not hard to find. He’s there in Scripture, looking for Adam and Eve. They’re hiding in the bushes, partly to cover their bodies, partly to cover their sin. Does God wait for them to come to him? No, the words ring in the garden. “Where are you?” God asks (Genesis 3:9), beginning his quest to redeem the heart of man. A quest to follow his children until his children follow him.
The Gift for All People
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
The Baby Grew up - Day Eight <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 377
Psalm 23:6 NKJV
What a surprising way to describe God. A God who pursues us.
Dare we envision a mobile, active God who chases us, tracks us, following us with goodness and mercy all the days of our lives? He’s not hard to find. He’s there in Scripture, looking for Adam and Eve. They’re hiding in the bushes, partly to cover their bodies, partly to cover their sin. Does God wait for them to come to him? No, the words ring in the garden. “Where are you?” God asks (Genesis 3:9), beginning his quest to redeem the heart of man. A quest to follow his children until his children follow him.
The Gift for All People
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
The Baby Grew up - Day Eight <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 377
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
JUST PRAY
Anyone who is having troubles should pray. Anyone who is happy should sing praises.
James 5:13
Do you want to know how to deepen your prayer life? Pray. Don’t prepare to pray. Just pray. Don’t read about prayer. Just pray. Don’t attend a lecture on prayer or engage in discussion about prayer. Just pray.
Posture, tone, and place are personal matters. Select the form that works for you. But don’t think about it too much. Don’t be so concerned about wrapping the gift that you never give it. Better to pray awkwardly than not at all.
And if you feel you should only pray when inspired, that’s okay. Just see to it that you are inspired every day.
When God Whispers Your Name
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
Weighed Down at Christmas - Day Seven <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 376
James 5:13
Do you want to know how to deepen your prayer life? Pray. Don’t prepare to pray. Just pray. Don’t read about prayer. Just pray. Don’t attend a lecture on prayer or engage in discussion about prayer. Just pray.
Posture, tone, and place are personal matters. Select the form that works for you. But don’t think about it too much. Don’t be so concerned about wrapping the gift that you never give it. Better to pray awkwardly than not at all.
And if you feel you should only pray when inspired, that’s okay. Just see to it that you are inspired every day.
When God Whispers Your Name
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
Weighed Down at Christmas - Day Seven <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 376
Monday, December 10, 2007
PREPARED LIKE A BRIDE
The bride belongs only to the bridegroom.
John 3:29
John’s descriptions of the future [in the book of Revelation] steal your breath. His depiction of the final battle is graphic. Good clashes with evil. The sacred encounters the sinful. The pages howl with the shrieks of dragons and smolder with the coals of fiery pits. But in the midst of the battlefield there is a rose. John describes it in Revelation 21.…
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.…
In this final mountaintop encounter, God pulls back the curtain and allows the warrior to peek into the homeland. When given the task of writing down what he sees, John chooses the most beautiful comparison earth has to offer. The Holy City, John says, is like “a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”
The Applause of Heaven
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
The Star in the Window - Day Six <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 375
John 3:29
John’s descriptions of the future [in the book of Revelation] steal your breath. His depiction of the final battle is graphic. Good clashes with evil. The sacred encounters the sinful. The pages howl with the shrieks of dragons and smolder with the coals of fiery pits. But in the midst of the battlefield there is a rose. John describes it in Revelation 21.…
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.…
In this final mountaintop encounter, God pulls back the curtain and allows the warrior to peek into the homeland. When given the task of writing down what he sees, John chooses the most beautiful comparison earth has to offer. The Holy City, John says, is like “a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”
The Applause of Heaven
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
The Star in the Window - Day Six <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 375
Friday, December 07, 2007
NO WORRIES IN HEAVEN
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain.
Revelation 21:4
What have you done today to avoid death? Likely a lot. You’ve popped pills, pumped pecks, passed on the pie, and pursued the polyunsaturates.…
Why? Why the effort? Because you are worried about staying alive. That won’t be a worry in heaven.
In fact, you won’t be worrying at all. Some of you moms worry about your kids getting hurt. You won’t worry in heaven. In heaven we’ll feel no pain. Some of you fellows worry about getting old. You won’t in heaven. We’ll all be ceaselessly strong.…
We are not made of steel, we are made of dust. And this life is not crowned with life, it is crowned with death.
The next life, however, is different. Jesus urged the Christians in Smyrna to “be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
When Christ Comes
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
The Blessing Tree - Day Five <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 372
Revelation 21:4
What have you done today to avoid death? Likely a lot. You’ve popped pills, pumped pecks, passed on the pie, and pursued the polyunsaturates.…
Why? Why the effort? Because you are worried about staying alive. That won’t be a worry in heaven.
In fact, you won’t be worrying at all. Some of you moms worry about your kids getting hurt. You won’t worry in heaven. In heaven we’ll feel no pain. Some of you fellows worry about getting old. You won’t in heaven. We’ll all be ceaselessly strong.…
We are not made of steel, we are made of dust. And this life is not crowned with life, it is crowned with death.
The next life, however, is different. Jesus urged the Christians in Smyrna to “be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
When Christ Comes
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
The Blessing Tree - Day Five <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 372
Thursday, December 06, 2007
A HEAVENLY AFFIRMATION
I will be your father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:18
Each of us has a fantasy that our family will be like the Waltons, an expectation that our dearest friends will be our next of kin. Jesus didn’t have that expectation. Look how he defined his family: “My true brother and sister and mother are those who do what God wants” (Mark 3:35).
When Jesus’ brother didn’t share his convictions, he didn’t try to force them. He recognized that his spiritual family could provide what his physical family didn’t.…
We can’t control the way our family responds to us. When it comes to the behavior of others toward us, our hands are tied. We have to move beyond the naive expectation that if we do good, people will treat us right. The fact is they may and they may not—we cannot control how people respond to us.…
Let God give you what your family doesn’t. If your earthly father doesn’t affirm you, then let your heavenly Father take his place.…
[And] don’t lose heart. God still changes families.
He Still Moves Stones
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
Barren But Not Bitter - Day Four <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
Praise Report: My granddaughter Brandy’s surgery was successful. The repair to the hole in the wall of her heart was completed; she woke up with some pain (expected) and spent the night in intensive care. They expect to move her to a room today. Thank you for your prayers. God heard and answered!
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 371
2 Corinthians 6:18
Each of us has a fantasy that our family will be like the Waltons, an expectation that our dearest friends will be our next of kin. Jesus didn’t have that expectation. Look how he defined his family: “My true brother and sister and mother are those who do what God wants” (Mark 3:35).
When Jesus’ brother didn’t share his convictions, he didn’t try to force them. He recognized that his spiritual family could provide what his physical family didn’t.…
We can’t control the way our family responds to us. When it comes to the behavior of others toward us, our hands are tied. We have to move beyond the naive expectation that if we do good, people will treat us right. The fact is they may and they may not—we cannot control how people respond to us.…
Let God give you what your family doesn’t. If your earthly father doesn’t affirm you, then let your heavenly Father take his place.…
[And] don’t lose heart. God still changes families.
He Still Moves Stones
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
Barren But Not Bitter - Day Four <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
Praise Report: My granddaughter Brandy’s surgery was successful. The repair to the hole in the wall of her heart was completed; she woke up with some pain (expected) and spent the night in intensive care. They expect to move her to a room today. Thank you for your prayers. God heard and answered!
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 371
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
GOD’S THOUGHTS
Lord you have done such great things! How deep are your thoughts!
Psalm 92:5
God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are they even like ours. We aren’t even in the same neighborhood. We’re thinking, Preserve the body; he’s thinking, Save the soul. We dream of a pay raise. He dreams of raising the dead. We avoid pain and seek peace. God uses pain to bring peace. “I’m going to live before I die,” we resolve. “Die, so you can live,” he instructs. We love what rusts. He loves what endures. We rejoice at our successes. He rejoices at our confessions. We show our children the Nike star with the million-dollar smile and say, “Be like Mike.” God points to the crucified carpenter with bloody lips and a torn side and says, “Be like Christ.”
The Great House of God
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
A Season of Renewal - Day Three <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
Prayer Request: My 15-year-old granddaughter, Brandy Culbreth, is having open heart surgery, scheduled to start at 6:00 a.m. EST, this morning. The surgery is projected to last four hours. The doctors are going in to repair a hole in the wall of her heart. She is at Eggleston Children’s Hospital in Decatur, GA. Please pray for Brandy, a successful surgery, peace of mind for the parents (and the rest of the family), and wisdom for the attending medical staff. “We’re thinking, preserve the body…” Praise God that He answers our prayers and meets our immediate needs.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 370
Psalm 92:5
God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are they even like ours. We aren’t even in the same neighborhood. We’re thinking, Preserve the body; he’s thinking, Save the soul. We dream of a pay raise. He dreams of raising the dead. We avoid pain and seek peace. God uses pain to bring peace. “I’m going to live before I die,” we resolve. “Die, so you can live,” he instructs. We love what rusts. He loves what endures. We rejoice at our successes. He rejoices at our confessions. We show our children the Nike star with the million-dollar smile and say, “Be like Mike.” God points to the crucified carpenter with bloody lips and a torn side and says, “Be like Christ.”
The Great House of God
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
A Season of Renewal - Day Three <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
Prayer Request: My 15-year-old granddaughter, Brandy Culbreth, is having open heart surgery, scheduled to start at 6:00 a.m. EST, this morning. The surgery is projected to last four hours. The doctors are going in to repair a hole in the wall of her heart. She is at Eggleston Children’s Hospital in Decatur, GA. Please pray for Brandy, a successful surgery, peace of mind for the parents (and the rest of the family), and wisdom for the attending medical staff. “We’re thinking, preserve the body…” Praise God that He answers our prayers and meets our immediate needs.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 370
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
THE SOUL KILLER
When people sin, they earn what sin pays—death.
Romans 6:23
Sin does to a life what shears do to a flower. A cut at the stem separates a flower from the source of life. Initially the flower is attractive, still colorful and strong. But watch that flower over a period of time, and the leaves will wilt and the petals will drop. No matter what you do, the flower will never live again. Surround it with water. Stick the stem in soil. Baptize it with fertilizer. Glue the flower back on the stem. Do what you wish. The flower is dead.…
A dead soul has no life.
Cut off from God, the soul withers and dies. The consequence of sin is not a bad day or a bad mood but a dead soul. The sign of a dead soul is clear: poisoned lips and cursing mouths, feet that lead to violence and eyes that don’t see God.…
The finished work of sin is to kill the soul.
In the Grip of Grace
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
God With Us - Day Two <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 369
Romans 6:23
Sin does to a life what shears do to a flower. A cut at the stem separates a flower from the source of life. Initially the flower is attractive, still colorful and strong. But watch that flower over a period of time, and the leaves will wilt and the petals will drop. No matter what you do, the flower will never live again. Surround it with water. Stick the stem in soil. Baptize it with fertilizer. Glue the flower back on the stem. Do what you wish. The flower is dead.…
A dead soul has no life.
Cut off from God, the soul withers and dies. The consequence of sin is not a bad day or a bad mood but a dead soul. The sign of a dead soul is clear: poisoned lips and cursing mouths, feet that lead to violence and eyes that don’t see God.…
The finished work of sin is to kill the soul.
In the Grip of Grace
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
God With Us - Day Two <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 369
Monday, December 03, 2007
THE CURE FOR DISAPPOINTMENT
The ways of God are without fault.
Psalm 18:30
When God doesn’t do what we want, it’s not easy. Never has been. Never will be. But faith is the conviction that God knows more than we do about this life and He will get us through it.
Remember, disappointment is cured by revamped expectations.
I like the story about the fellow who went to the pet store in search of a singing parakeet. Seems he was a bachelor and his house was too quiet. The store owner had just the bird for him, so the man bought it.
The next day the bachelor came home from work to a house full of music. He went to the cage to feed the bird and noticed for the first time that the parakeet had only one leg.
He felt cheated that he’d been sold a one-legged bird, so he called and complained.
“What do you want,” the store owner responded, “a bird who can sing or a bird who can dance?”
Good question for times of disappointment.
He Still Moves Stones
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
Jesus is the Reason for the Season - Day One <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 368
Psalm 18:30
When God doesn’t do what we want, it’s not easy. Never has been. Never will be. But faith is the conviction that God knows more than we do about this life and He will get us through it.
Remember, disappointment is cured by revamped expectations.
I like the story about the fellow who went to the pet store in search of a singing parakeet. Seems he was a bachelor and his house was too quiet. The store owner had just the bird for him, so the man bought it.
The next day the bachelor came home from work to a house full of music. He went to the cage to feed the bird and noticed for the first time that the parakeet had only one leg.
He felt cheated that he’d been sold a one-legged bird, so he called and complained.
“What do you want,” the store owner responded, “a bird who can sing or a bird who can dance?”
Good question for times of disappointment.
He Still Moves Stones
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
Jesus is the Reason for the Season - Day One <-- Click here for a seasonal devotion.
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 368
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
