Sydney Conservative

Daily Devotional Friday 3rd February

2012-02-03T11:19:00.003+11:00

“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—” 1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning

"Without the shedding of blood is no remission."
Hebrews 9:22

This is the voice of unalterable truth. In none of the Jewish ceremonies were sins, even typically, removed without blood-shedding. In no case, by no means can sin be pardoned without atonement. It is clear, then, that there is no hope for me out of Christ; for there is no other blood-shedding which is worth a thought as an atonement for sin. Am I, then, believing in him? Is the blood of his atonement truly applied to my soul? All men are on a level as to their need of him. If we be never so moral, generous, amiable, or patriotic, the rule will not be altered to make an exception for us. Sin will yield to nothing less potent than the blood of him whom God hath set forth as a propitiation. What a blessing that there is the one way of pardon! Why should we seek another?

Persons of merely formal religion cannot understand how we can rejoice that all our sins are forgiven us for Christ's sake. Their works, and prayers, and ceremonies, give them very poor comfort; and well may they be uneasy, for they are neglecting the one great salvation, and endeavouring to get remission without blood. My soul, sit down, and behold the justice of God as bound to punish sin; see that punishment all executed upon thy Lord Jesus, and fall down in humble joy, and kiss the dear feet of him whose blood has made atonement for thee. It is in vain when conscience is aroused to fly to feelings and evidences for comfort: this is a habit which we learned in the Egypt of our legal bondage. The only restorative for a guilty conscience is a sight of Jesus suffering on the cross. "The blood is the life thereof," says the Levitical law, and let us rest assured that it is the life of faith and joy and every other holy grace.

"Oh! how sweet to view the flowing

Of my Saviour's precious blood;

With divine assurance knowing

He has made my peace with God."

Evening

"And these are ancient things."
1 Chronicles 4:22

Yet not so ancient as those precious things which are the delight of our souls. Let us for a moment recount them, telling them over as misers count their gold. The sovereign choice of the Father, by which he elected us unto eternal life, or ever the earth was, is a matter of vast antiquity, since no date can be conceived for it by the mind of man. We were chosen from before the foundations of the world. Everlasting love went with the choice, for it was not a bare act of divine will by which we were set apart, but the divine affections were concerned. The Father loved us in and from the beginning. Here is a theme for daily contemplation. The eternal purpose to redeem us from our foreseen ruin, to cleanse and sanctify us, and at last to glorify us, was of infinite antiquity, and runs side by side with immutable love and absolute sovereignty. The covenant is always described as being everlasting, and Jesus, the second party in it, had his goings forth of old; he struck hands in sacred suretyship long ere the first of the stars began to shine, and it was in him that the elect were ordained unto eternal life. Thus in the divine purpose a most blessed covenant union was established between the Son of God and his elect people, which will remain as the foundation of their safety when time shall be no more. Is it not well to be conversant with these ancient things? Is it not shameful that they should be so much neglected and even rejected by the bulk of professors? If they knew more of their own sin, would they not be more ready to adore distinguishing grace? Let us both admire and adore tonight, as we sing--

"A monument of grace,

A sinner saved by blood;

The streams of love I trace

Up to the Fountain, God;

And in his sacred bosom see

Eternal thoughts of Love to me."

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Today's reading: Exodus 29-30, Matthew 21:23-46 (NIV)

View today's reading on Bible Gateway

Consecration of the Priests

¹ “This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect. ² And from the finest wheat flour make round loaves without yeast, thick loaves without yeast and with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves without yeast and brushed with olive oil. ³ Put them in a basket and present them along with the bull and the two rams. ⁴ Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water. ⁵Take the garments and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breastpiece. Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband. ⁶ Put the turban on his head and attach the sacred emblem to the turban. ⁷Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head.⁸ Bring his sons and dress them in tunics ⁹ and fasten caps on them. Then tie sashes on Aaron and his sons. The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance.

“Then you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

¹⁰ “Bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. ¹¹Slaughter it in the LORD’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹² Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar. ¹³ Then take all the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. ¹⁴ But burn the bull’s flesh and its hide and its intestines outside the camp. It is a sin offering.

¹⁵ “Take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. ¹⁶ Slaughter it and take the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar. ¹⁷ Cut the ram into pieces and wash the internal organs and the legs, putting them with the head and the other pieces. ¹⁸ Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD.

¹⁹ “Take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. ²⁰ Slaughter it, take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then splash blood against the sides of the altar. ²¹ And take some blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.

²² “Take from this ram the fat, the fat tail, the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh. (This is the ram for the ordination.) ²³ From the basket of bread made without yeast, which is before the LORD, take one round loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf. ²⁴ Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them wave them before the LORD as a wave offering. ²⁵ Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the LORD, a food offering presented to the LORD. ²⁶ After you take the breast of the ram for Aaron’s ordination, wave it before the LORD as a wave offering, and it will be your share.

²⁷ “Consecrate those parts of the ordination ram that belong to Aaron and his sons: the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented. ²⁸ This is always to be the perpetual share from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons. It is the contribution the Israelites are to make to the LORD from their fellowship offerings.

²⁹ “Aaron’s sacred garments will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them. ³⁰ The son who succeeds him as priest and comes to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days.

³¹ “Take the ram for the ordination and cook the meat in a sacred place. ³² At the entrance to the tent of meeting, Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket. ³³ They are to eat these offerings by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no one else may eat them, because they are sacred. ³⁴ And if any of the meat of the ordination ram or any bread is left over till morning, burn it up. It must not be eaten, because it is sacred.

³⁵ “Do for Aaron and his sons everything I have commanded you, taking seven days to ordain them. ³⁶ Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it. ³⁷ For seven days make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.

³⁸ “This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old. ³⁹ Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight. ⁴⁰ With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering. ⁴¹ Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and its drink offering as in the morning—a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD.

⁴² “For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of meeting, before the LORD. There I will meet you and speak to you; ⁴³ there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.

⁴⁴ “So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. ⁴⁵Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. ⁴⁶ They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.

Exodus 30

The Altar of Incense

¹ “Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense. ² It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high—its horns of one piece with it. ³ Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it. ⁴ Make two gold rings for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. ⁵ Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.⁶ Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you.

⁷ “Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. ⁸ He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the LORD for the generations to come. ⁹ Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. ¹⁰ Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the LORD.”

Atonement Money

¹¹ Then the LORD said to Moses, ¹² “When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them. ¹³ Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD. ¹⁴ All who cross over, those twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the LORD. ¹⁵ The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the LORD to atone for your lives. ¹⁶ Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD, making atonement for your lives.”

Basin for Washing

¹⁷ Then the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁸ “Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. ¹⁹ Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. ²⁰Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the LORD, ²¹they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”

Anointing Oil

²² Then the LORD said to Moses, ²³ “Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus, ²⁴ 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. ²⁵ Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. ²⁶Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, ²⁷ the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, ²⁸ the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. ²⁹ You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.

³⁰ “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. ³¹Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. ³² Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. ³³ Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.’”

Incense

³⁴ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, ³⁵ and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. ³⁶Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. ³⁷ Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the LORD. ³⁸Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.”

Matthew 21

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

²³ Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

²⁴ Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵ John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’²⁶ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

²⁸ “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

²⁹ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

³⁰“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

³¹ “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.³² For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

The Parable of the Tenants

³³ “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. ³⁴ When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

³⁵ “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ³⁶ Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. ³⁷ Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

³⁸“But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ ³⁹ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

⁴⁰ “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

⁴¹ “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

⁴² Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

⁴³ “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.⁴⁴ Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. ⁴⁶ They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

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Jesaiah, Jeshaiah [Jēsā'iah,Jē shā'iah]—jehovah is opulent or hath saved.

A son of Hananiah and grandson of Zerubbabel (1 Chron. 3:21).
A son of Jeduthun and a musician in David’s time (1 Chron. 25:3, 15).
A Levite, son of Rehabiah and grandson of Eliezer, son of Moses (1 Chron. 26:25).
A son of Athaliah and head of his father’s house at Elam, who with seventy males returned from Babylon with Ezra (Ezra 8:7).
A Merarite included in the above seventy ( Ezra 8:19).
A son of Benjamin, the father of Ithiel whose descendants dwelt in Jerusalem (Neh. 11:7).

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No Questions Asked

Matthew 4:18-22

The disciples do not hesitate when Jesus calls them. Immediately, they leave all behind to follow Him. John Chrysostom comments, "Christ seeks this kind of obedience from us, such that we delay not even for a moment, though something absolutely most necessary should press in on us" (Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew, 14.2). Where have you been refusing to obey the Lord's commands? Follow Him today without any questions.

For further study:

1 Samuel 15:22

The Bible in a year:

Leviticus 4-6

Subscribe to Tabletalk magazine and receive daily Bible studies & in depth articles from world class scholars for only $23 per per year! That's only $1.92 per month. And you can try it out for three months absolutely free! Bringing the best in biblical scholarship together with down-to-earth writing, Tabletalk helps you understand the Bible and apply it to daily living.

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February 2, 2012

Remodeling 101

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Colossians 3:13 "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Friend to Friend

I promised myself that I would never buy a house that could be described as a "fixer-upper." I don't like fixing things. I want everything to be fixed before I move in. But there I was -- buying a town house that needed so much work even the realtor couldn't believe my husband and I wanted to buy it. Why didn't someone stop me? No one did, so the sale was made and we went to work. Actually, my son and husband went to work while I went crazy.

I had no idea how horrible the process of remodeling could be. Layer after layer of dirt, grime, stains and ugliness was stripped away. Rotten kitchen cabinets were torn from the walls and rusty appliances were replaced. We basically gutted the whole place and rebuilt it - while living in it. I was not happy!

I will never forget the day I woke up to see a toilet sitting at the foot of our bed. It was at that moment I resolved to never set foot in another house that required so much work. I am so thankful God does not feel that way about me.

Honestly, I used to wonder why God didn't just demolish the old me and build a new one. Then He did just that - through a two-year battle with clinical depression. While sitting at the bottom of that deep, dark and slimy pit, the Father lovingly stripped away old fears and insecurities. From the walls of my heart, He tore the rotten attitudes, undisciplined thoughts and unholy desires that had walked me to the edge of my pit; then pushed me in. He replaced rusty old dreams with new ones and basically, gutted my life to build a new one, a better one, and a stronger one. Part of that new life was forgiveness. God taught me how to forgive myself so I could then forgive others.

Because forgiveness is so important, it only stands to reason that there are roadblocks that can hinder our willingness to forgive. We must make the commitment to identify and remove each one.

Selfishness

Selfishness shouts, "I have been hurt! It is so unfair. I have rights!" What I am really saying is that how I feel about the hurt is more important than forgiving the hurt.

Pride

Pride cries, "Look at what they have done to me. Don't they realize who I am?" To receive or give forgiveness requires humility.

Low self-esteem

Some of us have built an entire identity around a hurt. The attention we gain from the wrong we have suffered defines who we are. It is something we cherish and refuse to relinquish for the sake of forgiveness.

Blindness

We may be blind to the fact that we have not forgiven a hurt. We have convinced ourselves that we really have forgiven the one who hurt us by going through the motions and saying the right words without really dealing with the pain. In reality, all we have done is dig a hole and bury the pain. As long as hurt is buried alive, it will keep resurrecting itself in our life, but when the hurt is dealt with and forgiveness is given, the pain is buried dead - and it stays dead.

Pain

Forgiveness is spiritual surgery. It exposes old hurts that have never completely healed. We can move, change jobs, change churches, change friends or even change families, but until we yank up the root of bitterness and cover it with forgiveness, we will live with unresolved pain.

Ignorance

Maybe we don't know how to forgive someone because are under the impression that forgiveness is an emotion or feeling. True forgiveness is a choice - a deliberate choice to release the person who has hurt us from the pain they have caused. We can stop forgiving others when God stops forgiving us.

We need to identify and eliminate the roadblocks to forgiveness so God can set us free, heal our pain and make us more like Him. Now that is a remodeling job I would welcome.

Let's Pray

Father, I praise You for the changes You have made in my life through the power of Your forgiveness. Please help me forgive the people who have hurt me just as You have forgiven me.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now it's Your Turn

Emotional pain can cripple our lives unless we deal with it and forgive the hurt. A family member has wounded you and shows no sign of remorse. Maybe a friend has betrayed you and refuses to apologize. Or you may be struggling to forgive yourself because you don't think you deserve to be forgiven. None of us deserves forgiveness. Forgiveness is a gift from God. Today is the day to make the choice to forgive. Beside each statement below, write the name of someone in your life who needs your forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not limited to those who deserve it. ______________________________

Forgiveness is not limited to those who apologize. ______________________________

Forgiveness is not limited to those who change. ________________________________

Read and memorize 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

More from the Girlfriends

God is the One who heals. Forgiveness puts us in the correct posture for Him to do so. Don't wait another minute to deal with the issue of forgiveness in your life. Know that we are praying for you and standing with you as you choose forgiveness.

Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary's website.

Need help dealing with the sin and temptation you encounter in your life? Get Mary's E-Bible Study, Winning the War with Temptation for practical and powerful steps you can take to live a life of victory. .

Need help getting the Word of God into your life? Check out Mary's Weekly Online Bible Study, When I Am Afraid, to learn how to face, deal with and surrender your fears to God.

Are you ready to begin a new faith adventure? Get a copy of our new book, Trusting God.

Seeking God?

Click here to find out more about

how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

P.O. Box 725

Matthews, NC 28106

info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

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Life in earnest

‘He did it with all his heart and prospered.’ 2 Chronicles 31:21

Suggested Further Reading: Joshua 14:6–14

Look around you; who are the most useful men in the Christian church today? The men who do what they undertake for God with all their hearts. Where is the preacher whom God blesses by the conversion of hundreds in a year? Is he a sleepy, prosaic soul? Does he confine himself within narrow limits? Does he speak sleepy words to a slumbering congregation? We know it is not so, but where God is pleased to assemble a congregation it is, whatever it may not be, a proof that there has been earnestness in the preacher. Who are the most successful Sunday school teachers? The most learned? Every superintendent will tell you it is not so. The most talented? The most wealthy? No; they who are the most zealous; the men whose hearts are on fire; those are the men who honour Christ. Who among you today is doing the most for your Master’s kingdom? I will tell you. Lend me a spiritual thermometer by which I may try the heat of your heart, and I will tell you the amount of your success. If your hearts be cold towards God, I am sure you are doing nothing though you may pretend to do it, but if you can say, ‘Lord, my soul is all on flame with an agony of desire to do good to the souls of men,’ then you are doing good, and God is blessing you as he did Hezekiah, who did it with all his heart and prospered. Feeling that very many Christians are not Christians with all their hearts, and that perhaps some of you have only given Jesus Christ a dull, cobwebby corner of your hearts, instead of bidding him sit at the head of the table and reign upon the throne: fearing that we are all in danger of getting into a Laodicean lukewarm state, I wish to stir you up.

For meditation: While we must avoid zeal without knowledge (Romans 10:2), it is not in God’s purposes for us to be satisfied with the possession of knowledge without zeal (Titus 2:14 ). Do you seek to do with all your might whatever your hand finds to do (Ecclesiastes 9:10)?

Sermon no. 433
2 February (1862)

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February 2, 2012

Physically Overweight and Spiritually Underweight
Lysa TerKeurst

"'My food,' said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.'" John 4:34 (NIV)

If you've attended many Christian women's events, you've probably heard the story of the Samaritan woman told from just about every possible angle. If I hear someone start to speak about her at a conference, I'll admit my brain begs me to tune out and daydream about tropical places or items I need to add to my grocery list.

It's not that I don't like her story. I do. It's just that I've heard it so many times I find myself doubting there could possibly be anything fresh left to say about it. But in all my years of hearing about the Samaritan woman, reading her story, and feeling like I know it, I missed something. Something really big.

Right smack dab in the middle of one of the longest recorded interactions Jesus has with a woman, He starts talking about food. Food! And I'd never picked up on it before. I somehow missed Jesus' crucial teaching that our bodies must have two kinds of nourishment: physical and spiritual.

Just as I must have physical food for my body to survive, I have to have spiritual food for my soul to thrive. Jesus says, "My food ... is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work" (John 4:34 NIV). And then he goes on to say, "I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest" (John 4:35b NIV).

There is a bigger plan here! Don't get distracted by physical food. Don't think physical food can satisfy the longing of your soul. Only Jesus can do this. Our souls were created to crave Him and love others to Him. So many people are waiting to hear the message of your calling. Don't get stuck in defeat and held back from it.

In the midst of offering salvation to the Samaritan woman, Jesus seems to wander off on this tangent about food. But it's not a tangent at all.

Actually, it fits perfectly. It relates directly to the core issue of spiritual malnutrition. Specifically, it's about trying to use food to fill not only the physical void of our stomachs but also the spiritual void of our souls. For years, I've been physically overweight but spiritually underweight. How crucial it is for us to remember:

Food can fill our stomachs but never our souls.
Possessions can fill our houses but never our hearts.
Sex can fill our nights but never our hunger for love.
Children can fill our days but never our identities.

Jesus wants us to know only He can fill us and truly satisfy us. He really wants us to really believe that.

Only by being filled with authentic soul food from Jesus-following Him and telling others about Him-will our souls ever be truly satisfied. And breaking free from consuming thoughts about food allows us to see and pursue our calling with more confidence and clarity.

Dear Lord, I know that it is true that only You can fill me. I acknowledge that You are the Lord of my life. I want to please You today in all that I do. Help me to follow You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Related Resources:
Click here to visit Lysa's blog for a chance to win her bookMade to Crave and her new 60 day Made to Crave Devotional.

If this devotion resonated with you, Lysa's book Made to Crave is just what you've needed. Click here to order your copy!

This book can be a group Bible Study by using these life-changing resources: Made to Crave Participant's Guideand Made to Crave DVD teaching series, also by Lysa.

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you!

Reflect and Respond:
Jesus wants us to know only He can fill us and truly satisfy us. He really wants us to really believe that.

Only by being filled with authentic soul food from Jesus-following Him and telling others about Him-will our souls ever be truly satisfied. How can I apply this statement of truth to my life today?

Power Verses:
John 4:14, "'...but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'" (NIV)

John 4:35, "Don't you have a saying, 'It's still four months until harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." (NIV)

Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org

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The enchanted ground

“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6

Suggested Further Reading: Matthew 26:31-47

You never read that Christian went to sleep when lions were in the way; he never slept when he was going through the river of death, or when he was in Giant Despair’s castle, or when he was fighting with Apollyon. Poor creature! He almost wished he could sleep then. But when he had got half way up the Hill Difficulty, and came to a pretty little arbour, in he went, and sat down and began to read his roll. Oh, how he rested himself! How he unstrapped his sandals and rubbed his weary feet! Very soon his mouth was open, his arms hung down, and he was fast asleep. Again the Enchanted Ground was a very easy smooth place, and liable to send the pilgrim to sleep. You remember Bunyan’s description of some of the arbours: “Then they came to an arbour, warm, and promising much refreshing to the weary pilgrims; for it was finely wrought above head, beautified with greens, and furnished with benches and settles. It had also in it a soft couch, where the weary might lean.” “The arbour was called the Slothful’s Friend, and was made on purpose to allure, if it might be, some of the pilgrims to take up their rest there when weary.” Depend upon it, it is in easy places that men shut their eyes and wander into the dreamy land of forgetfulness. Old Erskine said a good thing when he remarked: “I like a roaring devil better than a sleeping devil.” There is no temptation half so bad as not being tempted. The distressed soul does not sleep; it is after we get into confidence and full assurance that we are in danger of slumbering.

For meditation: What would have happened to the disciples in Gethsemane if Christ had not woken them up? Are you oblivious to spiritual danger even when God warns you in his Word (Revelation 3:2,3)?

Sermon no. 64
2 February (Preached 3 February 1856)

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Make the Most of Today

This week's reading: Matthew 24:36-51

Carpe diem.

This Latin phrase means "seize the day," and it certainly echoes a valid objective. We do need to seize each day, because we don't know whether tomorrow will come or just how much of this life remains for us.

But what if we did? Imagine if a clock on the bottom of one foot digitally displayed how many days remained before we died. Theologian Francis Schaeffer put it another way: "Life is like a clock with no hands. It's ticking but you never know when it's going to strike midnight."

What a sobering thought-for those living in the 1st century or the 21st century. Despite all of our advances in safety measures, in both industry and transportation, and all of our progress in the medical field, life still maintains a measure of unpredictability for us today. Accidents still happen, and people still suffer from strokes and coronary artery disease, often seemingly out of the blue. Nearly everyone has a story to tell regarding a friend, family member or coworker who has experienced something like this.

The 1st century disciples asked Jesus, "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3). In the midst of his teaching, Jesus replied, "Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come" (Matthew 24:42).

In a way, Jesus urges his followers to "seize the day" because no one knows when he will return. But we do know that each of us will come face-to-face with Jesus and give an account of how we have lived for him. Each of us in large measure determines how that encounter will go.

Jesus wants us to be ready no matter when he returns-to be "faithful and wise" servants (Matthew 24:45). Who are the faithful and wise servants? Those who are ready-those whom the Master finds doing his will when he returns.

Are you ready?

To Take Away

How would your life be different if you knew you had just a year left to live? A month? A day?
God gives each of us gifts with which to serve him. Can you identify the ways in which God wants you to serve him?
Do you think God sees you as a "faithful and wise servant"? Why or why not?

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How Does Jesus' Saving Work Illustrate His Divinity?

Today's reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Paul confessed that only through the saving grace of Jesus did he receive eternal life. Because Paul was aware of the depth of his sinfulness (he had been a persecutor of Christ's followers), he was especially sensitive to the abundant grace Jesus had "poured out" on his behalf (1 Timothy 1:14). Through Jesus, God made the supreme sacrifice to deliver this staggering grace to sinners like us and Paul.

Jesus' voluntary sacrifice on our behalf demonstrates a key attribute of God: grace. While mercy refers to what God doesn't give that we do deserve (punishment), grace refers to what God gives that we don't deserve (life with him for eternity). Throughout Jewish history, God showed his mercy by giving his people more chances to avoid judgment. Ultimately, he showed the extent of his grace by offering his own Son as a substitute for the sin of all humankind.

Jesus graciously and voluntarily became the substitute that paid the punishment for humankind's unholy rebellion against God. In this way, Jesus' death also shows another key attribute of God: his love (see John 3:16). Jesus extends to the undeserving- to Paul and to each of us- the very grace of God, which is evidence that Jesus is indeed the Son of God.

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No Questions Asked

Matthew 4:18-22 "Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him" (v. 22).

Jesus' ministry begins a new phase when He settles in Capernaum (Matt. 4:13 ) in Galilee, because it is there that the people begin to take notice of Him. In His day, Galilee is a bustling commercial area bordered by Syria and Phoenicia, offering ample opportunities for Jesus to interact with Jews and Gentiles alike. Travelers on trade routes can spread news of His ministry outside of Galilee. Moreover, the leaders in Jerusalem, as we shall see, strongly oppose Jesus, but in Galilee He can minister more freely and not have to be constantly looking out for those who might kill Him before the appointed time.

When Christ begins His ministry He delivers virtually the same message as John the Baptist - "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" ( v. 17) - because both the old covenant and the new speak of the same kingdom. John, the final prophet of the old covenant, preached repentance (3:1). Jesus, the first and greatest new covenant prophet, delivers the same message. Of course, the new covenant is better than the old (Heb. 8 ), giving a fuller knowledge of God and a greater outpouring of the Spirit. Nevertheless, repentance is foundational to both covenants. Only contrite hearts can receive divine revelation (Isa. 66:2).

Among the very first to heed our Lord's command are Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, as recorded in today's passage. Walking beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus tells these men to follow Him and become "fishers of men" (Matt. 4:19 ). This is not the first time Andrew and Peter meet the Christ; John's gospel tells us they followed Him during His earlier ministry in Judea (1:35-42). Apparently, they went back to their work as fishermen for a time, but with the advent of the Lord's concentrated mission in Galilee, the time has come for them to leave their nets once more.

In Jesus' day, disciples normally choose their rabbi, but the Messiah reverses this custom and chooses His followers Himself. Most importantly, Christ does not "issue an invitation," as if these men have the option to say yes or no. Instead, He commands them to become His followers since obedience to Him is the only proper response to His call (John 3:16-18; 1 John 3:23-24).

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

For further study:

1 Samuel 15:22

The Bible in a year:

Leviticus 4-6

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When Life Is Cut Short

Psalm 73:21–22

Additional Scripture Readings: Matthew 6:14; 2 Timothy 2:24

Resentment puts us in prison. Like a ball and chain, it holds us back from experiencing the positive emotions of joy and peace. Are you imprisoned by resentment?

Resentment is an inevitable result of being damaged and wounded by the words or actions of another. We will feel it. To try to squelch the pain that comes when we’ve been hurt is to deny our human ability to feel.

But we don’t have to make resentment our permanent home. When we choose to live, day in and day out, within the confines of resentment, we imprison ourselves, trapped in bitterness, incarcerated in a grudge. When our energy is poured into these negative emotions, we are barred from experiencing life-giving emotions like forgiveness, love and hope.

We can’t choose whether or not we will be hurt. The mistakes of others are out of our control. But we can determine how we will respond to the pain that comes by the hand of another. Release resentment. In so doing, we set our hearts free.

US Campaign for Burma News Wrap

2012-02-03T11:14:00.000+11:00

January Burma News Wrap-Up

Burma is in a great state of flux right now. In some areas there are signs of hope, with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other candidates campaigning for political office. Nevertheless, while civilian officials are signing ceasefire agreements with some ethnic armed groups, the military is continuing to attack Kachin civilians in northern Burma forcing more people to flee their homes.

Don't forget to check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Blog for daily news and updates.

Does a Ceasefire Mean Peace?

"I had to watch every step to come here. No matter what is said about changes, the Burma Army can still kill you anytime." - Karen Elder

Recently civilian authorities from Burma's regime have begun to sign preliminary ceasefire or peace agreements with the Karen National Union, the Shan State Army-North and several other small ethnic armed resistance groups. Unfortunately there is skepticism over the ceasefires, as the Burmese Army ignores orders from the civilian authorities. In December, the Burmese Army ignored President Thein Sein’s order to stop attacking the Kachin. Instead attacks against the Kachin continue despite peace talks. Up until the very day of the KNU ceasefire agreement there was still fighting and abuses, and we have heard reports on the ground that since the ceasefire the Karen have stopped fighting, but Burmese soldiers continue to fire mortars.

The Burmese regime’s constitution grants the military supreme power over its own affairs and over the civilian government. While the civilian authorities move ahead with peace agreements with some ethnic minorities, the military continues their policy of divide and conquer, targeting one ethnic group while allowing others to sign ceasefires. This method has proved disastrous for ethnic peoples in the past.

A key issue for all ethnic groups is the desire for a nationwide ceasefire and genuine national dialogue that will address issues of ethnic equality and strip the military of its power over the civilian government.

There are still many key political problems that caused these decades of conflict that have not been solved. There have been ceasefires in the past, but human rights abuses continued, and ethnic people had no say over their own land. Difficult issues lie ahead, such as withdrawal of Burmese army troops, landmines, ethnic equality, and the safe return of the 600,000 internally displaced people in Eastern Burma.

Read more:

- Zoya Phan: Burma Needs Real Peace, Not Just a Pause in Conflict (Guernica Magazine)

- Statement of KNU Central Committee 2nd Emergency Meeting (read here)

- Peace Efforts Persist, But a Nationwide Ceasefire Remains Elusive (Irrawaddy)

Crisis in Kachin State

photo (left): A boy points to the hole where the Burma Army buried his mother after killing her (Free Burma Rangers)

While the regime’s civilian authorities hold ceasefire talks with some ethnic groups, the military continues its attacks in Kachin areas of Northern Burma and are moving more, fresh troops into the area. There has been and continues to be documentation of the Burmese Army burning down villages and crops, using local people as porters for the military, as well as murdering villagers. The fear of abuses has caused over 40,000 people to flee their homes, and the conditions of the camps are deplorable. Despite the conflict entering its 8^th month, these people still receive very little international aid.

Read More:

- Burma Army continues attacks, burns houses and kills one man and two women; over 40,000 Kachin people now displaced by attacks and more preparing to run (Free Burma Rangers)

- An Ethnic War is Rekindled in Myanmar (New York Times)

- Burma: The war that won't stop (Foreign Policy)

- KIO wants ‘political dialogue’ with Burma government not ‘ceasefire talks’ (Kachin News Group)

- Though Diplomatic Doors Open to Myanmar, Tragedy Persists in Ethnic Areas (Huffington Post)

- Burma soldiers open fire on Chinese village sheltering refugees (Kachin News Group)

- The Burmese Army has recently been moving more troops into Kachin areas, particularly moving troops to protect the construction of a Chinese oil and gas pipeline.

Congressional Visits to Burma

The U.S. Congress has been a long time supporter of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and democracy and human rights for the people of Burma, and this month some of Burma's biggest Congressional champions visited the country. Senator McConnell (R-KY) during and after his trip applauded the release of political prisoners, but also made it clear that improving ethnic rights and ending active combat against ethnic minorities are essential steps that have to come to even begin to talk about lifting sanctions. Senators McCain (R-AZ), Lieberman (I-CT), Ayotte (R-NH), and Whitehouse (D-RI) visited Burma together. Longtime Burma supporter Representative Crowley (D-NY) alsowent on a trip and met with families of political prisoners the day before the surprise release.

Burma's Economic Future

There have been lots of discussions lately about Burma's economic future, especially with theIMF releasing their report that Burma "has a high growth potential and could become the next economic frontier in Asia.” However, that hope comes with tough questions about who controls Burma's economy/investments and how much it benefits the people of Burma, not regime officials and their cronies. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in her address to the World Economic Forum said that the economy needs to be backed up by just laws. A clear example of this has been recent protests in Burma demanding that natural gas be used to give electricity to the people of Burma and not exported to China. Recently, Burma’s government doubled domestic electricity prices and increased fuel prices by a third despite earning billions of dollars in energy exports to neighboring countries.

Read more: Who's to blame for Burma's economic misery (Foreign Policy)

The Politics of Political Prisoners

As you saw in our last news update, 302 political prisoners were released from prison. However, we are worried about the hundreds of political prisoners who remain locked up. There needs to be an immediate independent international investigation of the prisons to assess the exact number of political prisoners still behind bars. With deep sadness we share with you the death of a tortured activist only ten days after his release.

A crucial issue is the broken, draconian laws that have been used to lock up prisoners. The Burmese regime continues to use these shame laws. Nay Myo Zin (picture left), a political prisoner released on January 13th has been tried again, and might go back to prison. His crime: receiving a key chain with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's picture on it while in prison.

Read more: Suu Kyi Calls for Changes to Constitution (New York Times)

Don't forget to check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Blog for daily news and updates.

Become a member of the U.S. Campaign for Burma.

Or, make a tax-deductible donation today.

Daily Devotional Thursday 2nd February

2012-02-02T11:55:00.003+11:00

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NIV

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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning

"They shall sing in the ways of the Lord."
Psalm 138:5

The time when Christians begin to sing in the ways of the Lord is when they first lose their burden at the foot of the Cross. Not even the songs of the angels seem so sweet as the first song of rapture which gushes from the inmost soul of the forgiven child of God. You know how John Bunyan describes it. He says when poor Pilgrim lost his burden at the Cross, he gave three great leaps, and went on his way singing--

"Blest Cross! blest Sepulchre! blest rather be

The Man that there was put to shame for me!"

Believer, do you recollect the day when your fetters fell off? Do you remember the place when Jesus met you, and said, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love; I have blotted out as a cloud thy transgressions, and as a thick cloud thy sins; they shall not be mentioned against thee any more forever." Oh! what a sweet season is that when Jesus takes away the pain of sin. When the Lord first pardoned my sin, I was so joyous that I could scarce refrain from dancing. I thought on my road home from the house where I had been set at liberty, that I must tell the stones in the street the story of my deliverance. So full was my soul of joy, that I wanted to tell every snow-flake that was falling from heaven of the wondrous love of Jesus, who had blotted out the sins of one of the chief of rebels. But it is not only at the commencement of the Christian life that believers have reason for song; as long as they live they discover cause to sing in the ways of the Lord, and their experience of his constant lovingkindness leads them to say, "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." See to it, brother, that thou magnifiest the Lord this day.

"Long as we tread this desert land,

New mercies shall new songs demand."

Evening

"Thy love to me was wonderful."
2 Samuel 1:26

Come, dear readers, let each one of us speak for himself of the wonderful love, not of Jonathan, but of Jesus. We will not relate what we have been told, but the things which we have tasted and handled-of the love of Christ. Thy love to me, O Jesus, was wonderful when I was a stranger wandering far from thee, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Thy love restrained me from committing the sin which is unto death, and withheld me from self-destruction. Thy love held back the axe when Justice said, "Cut it down! why cumbereth it the ground?" Thy love drew me into the wilderness, stripped me there, and made me feel the guilt of my sin, and the burden of mine iniquity. Thy love spake thus comfortably to me when, I was sore dismayed--"Come unto me, and I will give thee rest." Oh, how matchless thy love when, in a moment, thou didst wash my sins away, and make my polluted soul, which was crimson with the blood of my nativity, and black with the grime of my transgressions, to be white as the driven snow, and pure as the finest wool. How thou didst commend thy love when thou didst whisper in my ears, "I am thine and thou art mine." Kind were those accents when thou saidst, "The Father himself loveth you." And sweet the moments, passing sweet, when thou declaredst to me "the love of the Spirit." Never shall my soul forget those chambers of fellowship where thou has unveiled thyself to me. Had Moses his cleft in the rock, where he saw the train, the back parts of his God? We, too, have had our clefts in the rock, where we have seen the full splendours of the Godhead in the person of Christ. Did David remember the tracks of the wild goat, the land of Jordan and the Hermonites? We, too, can remember spots to memory dear, equal to these in blessedness. Precious Lord Jesus, give us a fresh draught of thy wondrous love to begin the month with. Amen.

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Today's reading: Exodus 27-28, Matthew 21:1-22 (NIV)

View today's reading on Bible Gateway

The Altar of Burnt Offering

¹ “Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. ² Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. ³ Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. ⁴ Make a grating for it, a bronze network, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the network. ⁵Put it under the ledge of the altar so that it is halfway up the altar. ⁶ Make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze. ⁷ The poles are to be inserted into the rings so they will be on two sides of the altar when it is carried. ⁸ Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.

The Courtyard

⁹ “Make a courtyard for the tabernacle. The south side shall be a hundred cubits long and is to have curtains of finely twisted linen, ¹⁰with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. ¹¹ The north side shall also be a hundred cubits long and is to have curtains, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.

¹² “The west end of the courtyard shall be fifty cubits wide and have curtains, with ten posts and ten bases. ¹³ On the east end, toward the sunrise, the courtyard shall also be fifty cubits wide. ¹⁴ Curtains fifteen cubits long are to be on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, ¹⁵ and curtains fifteen cubits long are to be on the other side, with three posts and three bases.

¹⁶“For the entrance to the courtyard, provide a curtain twenty cubits long, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer—with four posts and four bases. ¹⁷ All the posts around the courtyard are to have silver bands and hooks, and bronze bases. ¹⁸ The courtyard shall be a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with curtains of finely twisted linen five cubits high, and with bronze bases. ¹⁹All the other articles used in the service of the tabernacle, whatever their function, including all the tent pegs for it and those for the courtyard, are to be of bronze.

Oil for the Lampstand

²⁰ “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. ²¹ In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.

Exodus 28

The Priestly Garments

¹ “Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. ² Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. ³Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. ⁴ These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. ⁵ Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

The Ephod

⁶ “Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of skilled hands. ⁷ It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened. ⁸ Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.

⁹ “Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel ¹⁰ in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other. ¹¹ Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings ¹² and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD. ¹³ Make gold filigree settings ¹⁴ and two braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, and attach the chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece

¹⁵ “Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. ¹⁶ It is to be square—a span long and a span wide—and folded double. ¹⁷Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; ¹⁸ the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; ¹⁹ the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; ²⁰ the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper. Mount them in gold filigree settings. ²¹ There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

²² “For the breastpiece make braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. ²³ Make two gold rings for it and fasten them to two corners of the breastpiece. ²⁴ Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, ²⁵ and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. ²⁶ Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁷ Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. ²⁸ The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod.

²⁹ “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD. ³⁰ Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.

Other Priestly Garments

³¹ “Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, ³² with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar around this opening, so that it will not tear. ³³Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. ³⁴ The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. ³⁵ Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die.

³⁶ “Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD. ³⁷ Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. ³⁸ It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD.

³⁹ “Weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer. ⁴⁰ Make tunics, sashes and caps for Aaron’s sons to give them dignity and honor. ⁴¹ After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.

⁴² “Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. ⁴³ Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die.

“This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants.

Matthew 21

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

¹ As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

⁵ “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. ⁷They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

¹⁰When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

¹¹ The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Jesus at the Temple

¹² Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

¹⁴ The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

¹⁶ “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”

¹⁷ And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree

¹⁸Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. ¹⁹ Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

²⁰ When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

²¹ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. ²² If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

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Josiah [Jōsīah]—the fire of the lordor jehovah supports. The king of Judah who succeeded his father Amon, when only eight years old, and one of Judah’s good kings (1 Kings 13:2; 2 Chron. 34:3).

The Man Who Sought After God

The history of Israel’s later kings makes dreary reading. Says J. G. Greenhough,

Four-fifths of them were equally deficient in brains and morals, a combination of wickedness and folly, with nothing of the king about them but the name. But here and there you come upon a man amidst all these royal puppets. It is like finding a garden in a Sahara, or a jewel in a heap of sham trinkets and dirty stage finery. Josiah breaks a long, monotonous series of absolutely worthless monarchs. Before and behind him are moral waste and darkness. He stands out as a figure worth looking at and loving ... Josiah’s good reign was like a burst of brilliant sunset, before the final darkness comes on.

In a life worth studying, let us list a few incidents illustrating the noble character of Josiah.

He was left parentless at eight years of age. Josiah had a sorrowful childhood, and as a king at eight years of age, he was introduced to scenes of violence, outrage and civil war. But God was more than a Father to this fatherless boy.

He had a good and darling mother. We know nothing about the mother who undertook Josiah’s training apart from her name, Jedidah, meaning, “God’s darling,” which she was not called for nought. She sought to make her son what she was called, “God’s darling,” and her labor had its sweet reward.

He sought after God at the age of sixteen. After sixteen years in the nursing hands of his good mother, Josiah turned from the ways of his father Amon and his grandfather Manasseh, and took his nobler and remoter ancestor, David, as his model. In life’s fair morning, Josiah set his heart to seek the Lord.

He purged Judah and Jerusalem when he was twenty. Youth did not deter Josiah from necessary reformation. Out went all forms of idolatry. Borne along by a noble rage, he swept away the groves full of abominations. Would that the fervent zeal and righteous enthusiasm of this earnest, passionate young man might characterize more young men today!

He rebuilt the Temple when he was twenty-six. This consecrated young man saw that it was of no use destroying idols unless he had something better to replace them. Thus when his destroying fever had spent its force, Josiah began to rebuild and repair the house of God. In turning over the rubbish of the Temple, the king made a strange discovery. He came across a buried and forgotten copy of the Law, the reading of which strangely affected him. Profoundly humbled, he laid the axe to his own corruptions, and went forward to grow in wisdom and godliness.

He reigned for thirty-one years and was only thirty-nine when he died . That Josiah was beloved by his people is indicated by their deep and long-continued mourning after his death.

2. A son of Zephaniah who dwelt in Jerusalem in Zechariah’s time (Zech. 6:10). Perhaps the Hen of verse fourteen.

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February 1, 2012

Can You Love Your Husband and Brad Pitt Too?

Sharon Jaynes

(If you are single, you're not off the hook here. Keep reading.)

Today's Truth

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life"(Proverbs 4:23 NIV).

Friend to Friend

Sitting in a waiting room, I rummaged through stacks of magazines to pass the time. A magazine for families, I thought as I picked up a popular title. That ought to be safe.

Thumbing through the pages, I went directly to the "Family Matters" column to see what the culture was teaching these days. The title? "Why You can Love Your Husband and Brad Pitt Too." I turned back to the cover to make sure I had not inadvertently picked up Cosmopolitan or The National Inquirer. Nope it was a magazine for families - targeted at wives and mothers.

This is some of what the author had to say.

Last spring I found myself applying a pretty shade of pink lipstick before heading off to the nursery to buy annuals. Why the fuss? I hoped to run into the handsome gentleman who worked there....According to experts, married crushes are natural and common. As long as you don't let them develop into full blown fantasies or consider acting upon them, these minor attractions can actually help you appreciate your spouse more...Infatuations offer a safe break from the marital routine. Everyday life is a bit humdrum, making it hard to maintain a passionate connection all the time...

Well friends, there is another expert on marriage who was not quoted in this article and his teaching is the antithesis of this one. His name is Jesus. This is what He has to say about infatuation with the delivery boy, flirting with the man at the nursery, or cattily toying with a coworker in the next cubicle.

"You have heard it said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28).

Looking at another man with a flirtatious eye is such a serious offense that Jesus went on to say, "If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away," (Matthew 5:29 ). Now, don't worry, I'm not going to tell you to pluck out your eye if you do have a crush on the buff young man who bags your produce at the grocery store, but I am telling you that you might need to shop elsewhere. I am saying that if you find yourself adding a bit of lip gloss before heading to the post office where the cute blond with the steel blue eyes always greets you like you've made his day, you need to forget the gloss and go to another post office. And that man in the next cubicle who always showers you with compliments and makes your heart skip a beat? I think Jesus is saying to pluck it out, change cubicles, or even more drastic, change jobs.

Perhaps you think I've gone just a bit too far. I imagine the folks listening to Jesus' advice about running from temptation thought so too. The truth is, I've never known one woman who had an affair which did not begin with a toying glance or flirtatious "innocent" bantering. Every sin begins with a thought and every spiritual battle is won or lost at the threshold of the mind.

Let's face it, women long to feel beautiful. After being married for a few years and having a baby or two, we begin to wonder if we are still pretty or sexually appealing. Then a man comes along who pays us a compliment and our hearts skip a beat. That is natural. However, if that compliment or attention leads to infatuation, returning for more, or a "crush" as the article implied, Jesus tells us to turn and run in the opposite direction...press the delete button...and avoid reply. "Flee sexual immorality," (1 Corinthians 6:18). This is serious...pluck it out.

It is interesting that when Satan tempted Eve in the garden, the first step to her downfall was her eyes. "When the woman sawthat the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to theeye...." (Genesis 3:6). It all began with her eyes...what she looked at. I wonder what would have happened if she had chosen to look away.

The above article had very little to do with Brad Pitt or Mel Gibson, but more to say about men we come in contact with everyday. Honestly, had it been Brad or Mel, I might have had a chuckle. But this article was encouraging women to play with fire. The author went on to say...

Whether you have a soft spot for Mel Gibson or Mel the mailman, make sure your husband knows that a crush doesn't change the way you feel about him. We all want to know that we are number one in our spouse's life. As for me, I told my husband about the man at the nursery. 'Going to see your boyfriend?' he teased as I headed out the door to buy mulch. Later I assured him that while Garden Guy knew the best cure for aphids; he could never melt my heart.

I read that and tried to imagine my husband, Steve, saying to me...."Honey, I want to tell you that I have a crush on the check out girl at Home Depot, but I still love you the best." I get a queasy feeling just thinking about such a conversation. And yet, this is what the "family magazine" was suggesting for women of the new millennium. No wonder the divorce rate in this country is 50% and rising.

But what if you are single? Does this apply to you? Absolutely! The enemy would like nothing better than for you, in your singleness, to fantasize about a man that you come in contact with on a regular basis. He would like for your mind to go where it need not go. He knows that singleness can be a lonely place and he is an equal opportunity tempter.

Bottom line? "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life," (Proverbs 4:23 NIV). The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.

Let's Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to guard my heart today and every day. Help me to recognize temptation and flee - run in the opposite direction. I know that temptation is not a toy to be played with, but an evil weapon used against us. Thank You for giving me the power of the Holy Spirit to resist temptation and the power of the Truth in Scripture to fight the lies that "I would be happy if..."

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Is there any area in your life where you are toying with temptation?

If you are single, have you been entertaining a relationship that would not be pleasing to God?

Go back and print off today's devotion. Highlight the various verses and commit them to memory. Make them part of your arsenal to resist temptation.

What are some ways that we can resist temptation? Let's share at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes.

More from the Girlfriends

Today's devotion was adapted from Sharon's book, Becoming the Woman of His Dreams: Seven Qualities Every Man Longs For. If you would like to learn more about how to have a wonderful marriage, this book is for you. And, if you would like to learn more about how to resist the lies of the enemy in every area of life, you'll want to see Sharon's book, I'm Not Good Enough...and Other Lies Women Tell Themselves. When it comes to spiritual warfare, let's be armed and dangerous to the enemy's lies.

Seeking God?

Click here to find out more about

how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

P.O. Box 725

Matthews, NC 28106

info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

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Ministry in Galilee

Matthew 4:12-17

Today's passage is a powerful example of God's grace. Those who sit in darkness get to see the light, not those who think they are in the light already. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance, not the righteous ( Luke 5:32). This does not mean that there are some who are righteous in themselves. It means that He saves only those who confess their darkness and admit their need of His light. Do you understand your desperate situation apart from God's grace?

For further study:

Micah 7:8

The Bible in a year:

Leviticus 2-3

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February 1, 2012

I'm Beyond Hurt
Melissa Taylor

"All your words are true..." Psalm 119:160a (NIV)

I'm beyond hurt.

I'm beyond confused.

I'm beyond stressed.

I'm beyond tiredï¿½physically, emotionally and mentally.

I could go on and on. But then I would be beyond depressed.

When feeling like this, I realize I have to get my mind out of the gutter and anchor myself on God's promises.

I have to be intentional to focus on a different set of "beyond" statements or I quickly find myself in a pit. I know this from experience. Even if the "beyond" statements above are true, there are others that are also true.

I am beyond blessed: From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16*

I am beyond strong: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

I am beyond secure: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

I am beyond safe: Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.Psalm 138:7

I am beyond hopeful: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I am beyond loved: But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalm 13:5

I am beyond valued: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

I am beyond forgiven: Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Luke 7:48

I am beyond found: Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep." Luke 15:4-6

I am beyond complete: So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. Colossians 2:10 (NLT)

I can't trust my feelings, or even circumstances, to tell me how I am. They change like the wind. Up one moment and easily shot down the next. His Word however, never changes. Its ceaseless truths go beyond emotions and whatever my day holds to anchor me to hope.

Some days, weeks or even seasons of life are discouraging and we can't see beyond the pain, hurt and stress. Searching God's Word for His view of our circumstances and us lifts our eyes off the problems and onto Him. He's our ultimate source of truth and encouragement!

Dear Lord, thank You for recording Your Word for me to reflect on and find truth in. Thank You for giving hope and peace beyond my feelings and circumstances. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Melissa's blog to enter a give-away for the book she'll be featuring in her next online Bible Study, Untroubled Heart by Micca Campbell

For daily doses of hope and truth, join Proverbs 31 Ministries' Facebook page

His Princess, Love Letters from Your King by Sheri Rose Shepherd

Reflect and Respond:
Do I focus more on discouraging "beyond" statements or God's "beyond" statements of truth?

What is one verse I can use to replace my feelings of "beyond" hurt, stressed, overwhelmed, etc?

Power Verse:
Psalm 139:17, "How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!" (NIV)

* Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from the NIV 1984

Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org

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Ministry in Galilee

Matthew 4:12-17 "From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (v. 17).

Upon hearing of John the Baptist's arrest, Jesus returns to minister in Galilee (Matt. 4:12). It is important to note that this is a "new phase" of ministry, for our Savior does not enter Galilee immediately after His baptism. According to John's gospel, Jesus has already spent time ministering in Jerusalem and Judea after His baptism (1:29-42). In fact, the ministry of our Lord and His forerunner actually overlap (3:22-24), if only for a brief period.

When Jesus comes to Galilee, He settles in a small village on the northwest edge of the Sea of Galilee named Capernaum (Matt. 4:13). Matthew tells us this fulfills biblical prophecy, specifically the words of Isaiah 9:1-2, which the evangelist paraphrases in Matthew 4:15-16. The original setting of Isaiah's text helps us understand how Christ fulfills this passage. Isaiah predicted that God would use the Assyrian empire as His rod to judge the northern kingdom of Israel ( chap. 7-8), and as was foretold, Israel fell and the people were exiled over a period of many decades culminating in 722 b.c. (2 Kings 15:29; 17:7-23).

However, our Father also said this sad state of His people would not last forever. He said that He would raise up a Son of David who would restore the glory of the nation, beginning first with a restoration of joy in the north (Isa. 9:1-7). In some sense this began when the exiles returned to their land in 538 b.c. , but the full restoration had to wait for the coming of the Christ. John Calvin comments, "The commencement of this light, and, as we might say, the dawn, was the return of the people from Babylon. At length, Christ, 'the Sun of Righteousness' (Mal. 4:2), arose in full splendor, and, by his coming, utterly 'abolished' (2 Tim. 1:10 ) the darkness of death." Since Jesus is ministering in the north and bringing God's light to a dark land, He must be the long-awaited Messiah who comes to restore His people. This is Matthew's point in 4:12-17.

Scripture often uses light to refer to the knowledge of God and obedience to Him (Ps. 119:105; Prov. 4:18). As the light of the world ( John 8:12), Jesus gives us true knowledge of our Creator (12:44-50) and frees us from sin's oppression (Rom. 6:17-18), which makes us unable in and of ourselves to serve the Lord.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Today's passage is a powerful example of God's grace. Those who sit in darkness get to see the light, not those who think they are in the light already. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance, not the righteous (Luke 5:32). This does not mean that there are some who are righteous in themselves. It means that He saves only those who confess their darkness and admit their need of His light. Do you understand your desperate situation apart from God's grace?

For further study:

Micah 7:8

The Bible in a year:

Leviticus 2-3

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Nominal Christians—real infidels

‘If I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?’ John 8:46

Suggested Further Reading: Mark 1:1–15

The claims of Jesus of Nazareth are briefly stated by Peter, ‘Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.’ He demands repentance ; that is, a change of mind—the changing of your mind with reference to sin, caring no more for its pleasures, despising it and turning away from it: a change of mind with regard to holiness; seeking your happiness in it: a change of mind with regard to Christ himself, so that you shall no longer look upon him as without form or comeliness, but as a most precious Saviour, such as you need. Sinner, Christ demands of you that you should take your ornaments of self-righteousness from yourself, and wrap yourself in the sackcloth of humiliation, and cast the ashes of penitence upon your head, and cry, ‘Unclean! unclean! unclean!’ Moreover, he requires faith of you. ‘Repent ye and believe the gospel.’ ‘This is the commandment that ye believe on Jesus Christ whom God hath sent.’ The Jews said, ‘What shall we do that we may do the work of God?’ Christ said, ‘This is the work of God, that ye believe on Jesus Christ whom he hath sent.’ He demands that faith which will accept him to be the sole cleanser from sin, and so to be sole possessor, as he is sole redeemer, of the heart. Friend, you believe that no less a person than the Son of God thus bids you look upon him and be saved; you believe that the Son of God was nailed to the cross, and that out of love to you he demands that you forsake the sin which will destroy you, and believe in his blood which will cleanse you. Does Jesus thus speak? Are these demands the hard inventions of a tyrannical priesthood, or the mild and tender claims of love?

For meditation: The Lord Jesus Christ commanded such repentance and faith in him at the start of his ministry (Mark 1:15); his apostles continued to combine the same two gospel commands (Acts 20:21). They have never been withdrawn. Have you obeyed them? If not, ‘What doth the Lord require of thee?’ ( Micah 6:8)

Sermon no. 492
1 February (1863)

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Why are men saved?

“Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake.” Psalm 106:8

Suggested Further Reading: 1 Peter 1:1, 2

Jesus Christ is the Saviour; but not more so than God the Father, or God the Holy Spirit. Some persons who are ignorant of the system of divine truth think of God the Father as being a great being full of wrath, and anger, and justice, but having no love, they think of God the Spirit perhaps as a mere influence proceeding from the Father and the Son. Now, nothing can be more incorrect than such opinions. It is true the Son redeems me, but then the Father gave the Son to die for me, and the Father chose me in the everlasting election of his grace. The Father blots out my sin; the Father accepts me and adopts me into his family through Christ. The Son could not save without the Father any more than the Father without the Son; and as for the Holy Spirit, if the Son redeems, do you not know that the Holy Spirit regenerates? It is he that makes us new creatures in Christ, who “begets us again unto a lively hope,” who purifies our soul, who sanctifies our spirit, and who, at last, presents us spotless and faultless before the throne of the Most High, accepted in the beloved. When you say, “Saviour,” remember there is a Trinity in that word—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, this Saviour being three persons under one name. You cannot be saved by the Son without the Father, nor by the Father without the Son, nor by Father and Son without the Spirit. But as they are one in creation, so are they one in salvation, working together in one God for our salvation, and unto that God be glory everlasting, world without end. Amen.

For meditation: We are to be baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) in acknowledgement of the fact that all three persons of the Trinity have accomplished our salvation.

Sermon no. 115
1 February (1857)

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At Issue: Relationships

2 Chronicles 18:1

You may not realize how important it is to make good alliances. Think about it. A corrupt business partner could send you to jail. A close friend who likes to bar-hop could cause you to lower your standards. An unsaved husband could divide your family. Jehoshaphat made a poor choice in allying himself with Ahab-a well-known evil king. Who are your business partners, closest friends and mentors? Take care that your most important relationships draw you closer to God instead of pulling you away from him.

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by Zondervan

The Bible that helps you see yourself as God sees you! Find your true identity in Christ through your relationship with him.

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Conversations with Jesus

Today's reading: John 4

How did Jesus talk to ordinary people?

John 4:25-26 The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I, the one speaking to you-I am he."

Water. Where it's plentiful, we tend to take it for granted, like air. We linger in the shower, hose down a dusty driveway, let a sprinkler spurt for hours to keep the lawn green.

Not so in the desert, where even plants hoard water with bristly defenses. There, water takes on a mythical aura. Taunting mirages of pools and streams dance in the heat waves. A craving for water crowds out all other thoughts, and one spoonful, on a parched tongue, is worth gold.

To a woman in a dry land who spent part of each day hauling clay jugs to and from a well, water was the most powerful symbol imaginable. Little wonder that when Jesus offered "living water" that would never run dry (John 4:10,14), the Samaritan woman paid attention.

Profoundly Simple Words

A simple word or phrase with a profound meaning: That is the style of Jesus' teaching as presented in John. No Biblical author used simpler, more commonplace words: water, world, light, life, birth, love, truth. Yet John used them with such depth that hundreds of authors since have tried to plumb their meaning.

Reading John is like sitting in a canoe in the middle of a deep, pristine lake. The clarity of the water reveals everything under the surface-you think. Yet, as you gaze deeper, you can never see the bottom. Something always remains hidden.

Those who look for a neat scheme of organization in John usually fail. John's Gospel omits many of the events recorded in Mark, most of the long public speeches of Matthew and all of the parables of Luke. Its teaching emerges mainly through Jesus' intimate encounters with diverse people.

Listening in on Private Conversations

Jesus uttered some of his most memorable sayings in the midst of very ordinary conversations. The book of John rarely shows him speaking to large crowds. Instead, we see Jesus meeting secretly with a nervous religious leader (see John 3:1-21) or talking with a promiscuous woman (see John 4:5-26) beside a well. Both visitors carried away simple-yet-profound images (a second birth, living water), and today we recall those words as among the most familiar in all the Bible.

John paints close-ups of individuals who responded to Jesus on Earth. Some followed him courageously, others remained skeptical and still others reacted with hostility. Often, John reports, people simply did not understand, despite Jesus' use of visual images. In short, response to the Son of God on Earth nearly 2,000 years ago bears a striking resemblance to the world's response to him now.

Life Question

Imagine yourself in a private conversation with Jesus, much like the Samaritan woman's. What would you want to talk about?

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Daily Devotional Wednesday 1st February

2012-02-01T13:01:00.002+11:00

“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.” Psalm 86:5 NIV

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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning

"The Lord our Righteousness."
Jeremiah 23:6

It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace, to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often are the saints of God downcast and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not think they would if they could always see their perfection in Christ. There are some who are always talking about corruption, and the depravity of the heart, and the innate evil of the soul. This is quite true, but why not go a little further, and remember that we are "perfect in Christ Jesus." It is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their own corruption should wear such downcast looks; but surely if we call to mind that "Christ is made unto us righteousness," we shall be of good cheer. What though distresses afflict me, though Satan assault me, though there may be many things to be experienced before I get to heaven, those are done for me in the covenant of divine grace; there is nothing wanting in my Lord, Christ hath done it all. On the cross he said, "It is finished!" and if it be finished, then am I complete in him, and can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, "Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." You will not find on this side heaven a holier people than those who receive into their hearts the doctrine of Christ's righteousness. When the believer says, "I live on Christ alone; I rest on him solely for salvation; and I believe that, however unworthy, I am still saved in Jesus;" then there rises up as a motive of gratitude this thought--"Shall I not live to Christ? Shall I not love him and serve him, seeing that I am saved by his merits?" "The love of Christ constraineth us," "that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them." If saved by imputed righteousness, we shall greatly value imparted righteousness.

Evening

"Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi."
2 Samuel 18:23

Running is not everything, there is much in the way which we select: a swift foot over hill and down dale will not keep pace with a slower traveller upon level ground. How is it with my spiritual journey, am I labouring up the hill of my own works and down into the ravines of my own humiliations and resolutions, or do I run by the plain way of "Believe and live"? How blessed is it to wait upon the Lord by faith! The soul runs without weariness, and walks without fainting, in the way of believing. Christ Jesus is the way of life, and he is a plain way, a pleasant way, a way suitable for the tottering feet and feeble knees of trembling sinners: am I found in this way, or am I hunting after another track such as priestcraft or metaphysics may promise me? I read of the way of holiness, that the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein: have I been delivered from proud reason and been brought as a little child to rest in Jesus' love and blood? If so, by God's grace I shall outrun the strongest runner who chooses any other path. This truth I may remember to my profit in my daily cares and needs. It will be my wisest course to go at once to my God, and not to wander in a roundabout manner to this friend and that. He knows my wants and can relieve them, to whom should I repair but to himself by the direct appeal of prayer, and the plain argument of the promise. "Straightforward makes the best runner." I will not parlay with the servants, but hasten to their master.

In reading this passage, it strikes me that if men vie with each other in common matters, and one outruns the other, I ought to be in solemn earnestness so to run that I may obtain. Lord, help me to gird up the loins of my mind, and may I press forward towards the mark for the prize of my high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

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Today's reading: Exodus 25-26, Matthew 20:17-34 (NIV)

View today's reading on Bible Gateway

Offerings for the Tabernacle

¹ The LORD said to Moses, ² “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. ³ These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze;⁴ blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ⁵ ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; ⁶ olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; ⁷ and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

⁸“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. ⁹ Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

The Ark

¹⁰ “Have them make an ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.¹¹ Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. ¹² Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. ¹³Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴ Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. ¹⁵ The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed. ¹⁶ Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you.

¹⁷ “Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. ¹⁸ And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. ¹⁹Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. ²⁰ The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. ²¹ Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. ²² There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

The Table

²³ “Make a table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. ²⁴ Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it. ²⁵ Also make around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim. ²⁶Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners, where the four legs are. ²⁷ The rings are to be close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. ²⁸Make the poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold and carry the table with them. ²⁹ And make its plates and dishes of pure gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls for the pouring out of offerings. ³⁰ Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.

The Lampstand

³¹ “Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. ³² Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. ³³Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. ³⁴ And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. ³⁵ One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. ³⁶ The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

³⁷ “Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. ³⁸ Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. ³⁹ A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. ⁴⁰ See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

Exodus 26

The Tabernacle

¹ “Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker. ² All the curtains are to be the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. ³Join five of the curtains together, and do the same with the other five. ⁴ Make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and do the same with the end curtain in the other set. ⁵ Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. ⁶ Then make fifty gold clasps and use them to fasten the curtains together so that the tabernacle is a unit.

⁷ “Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. ⁸ All eleven curtains are to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. ⁹ Join five of the curtains together into one set and the other six into another set. Fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. ¹⁰ Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. ¹¹ Then make fifty bronze clasps and put them in the loops to fasten the tent together as a unit. ¹² As for the additional length of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over is to hang down at the rear of the tabernacle. ¹³ The tent curtains will be a cubit longer on both sides; what is left will hang over the sides of the tabernacle so as to cover it. ¹⁴ Make for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.

¹⁵ “Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. ¹⁶Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide,¹⁷with two projections set parallel to each other. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. ¹⁸ Make twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle ¹⁹ and make forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. ²⁰ For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, make twenty frames ²¹ and forty silver bases—two under each frame. ²² Make six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, ²³and make two frames for the corners at the far end. ²⁴ At these two corners they must be double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both shall be like that. ²⁵ So there will be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

²⁶ “Also make crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, ²⁷ five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. ²⁸ The center crossbar is to extend from end to end at the middle of the frames. ²⁹Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

³⁰ “Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain.

³¹ “Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. ³²Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. ³³ Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. ³⁴ Put the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law in the Most Holy Place. ³⁵ Place the table outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstand opposite it on the south side.

³⁶ “For the entrance to the tent make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. ³⁷ Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them.

Matthew 20

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time

¹⁷ Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, ¹⁸ “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death ¹⁹ and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

A Mother’s Request

²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

²¹ “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

²²“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

²³ Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

²⁴ When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. ²⁵ Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Two Blind Men Receive Sight

²⁹ As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. ³⁰ Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

³¹ The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

³² Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³³ “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

³⁴ Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

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Zadok [Zā'dŏk]—righteous, justified.

The Man Who Remained Loyal

1. The son of Ahitub and father of Ahimaaz, a priest in David’s time (2 Sam. 8:17; 15:24-36; 17:15; 18:19,27; 19:11; 20:25). Other references may be found in 1 Kings, 1, 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Ezekiel.

This Zadok was appointed priest by Solomon in the place of Abiathar, because of his own loyalty (1 Kings 1:8), and the disloyalty of Abiathar (1 Kings 1:7).

Zadok was the founder of an important part of the priesthood and from Solomon’s time his descendants constituted the most prominent family among the order of priests.

As a young man, he was mighty of valor (1 Chron. 12:27, 28).

As a friend of David, Zadok remained true to him during Absalom’s rebellion ( 2 Sam. 15:24-29).

As a priest he remained faithful to David although his colleague deserted the king (1 Kings 1:7, 8). For his loyalty he retained his high and holy office till his death ( 1 Kings 2:26, 27).

2. The father of Jerusha, wife of Uzziah and mother of Jotham, king of Judah (2 Kings 15:33 ; 2 Chron. 27:1).

3. Son of Ahitub, grandson of Azariah, high priest in Solomon’s great Temple (1 Chron. 6:12; 9:11).

4. The son of Baana who shared in the repair of the wall of Jerusalem ( Neh. 3:4).

5. A priest, son of Immer (Neh. 3:29).

6. One of the chiefs of the people who sealed the covenant (Neh. 10:21).

7. A son of Meraioth, of priestly ancestry (Neh. 11:11).

8. The scribe or priest appointed by Nehemiah to take charge of the treasuries of the Lord’s house (Neh. 13:13). He may have been the same Zadok of Nehemiah 3:29.

===

January 31, 2012

Looking for God?

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Praise the LORD! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving (Psalm 28:6-7, NLT).

Friend to Friend

God is constantly at work in our lives, preparing us to do with joy what He created us to do. A.B. Simpson said: "God is preparing His heroes. And when the opportunity comes He can fit them into their place in a moment. And the world will wonder where they came from." When we understand that God integrates every life detail to accomplish His will, a deeper level of trust is born in our hearts.

God wants us to trust Him in every circumstance. Trust is letting go, knowing that God is more than enough. Trust is obedience because what I do reveals what I believe about God regardless of what I say. I don't think God wastes His direction on a disobedient heart but does, in fact, reveal His plans to those who will obey them. Trust and obedience go hand in hand. The more we obey, the more we will trust and the more we trust, the more we will obey, understanding that He is indeed Lord of all. The result is joy.

We should be women of joy. That is life at its best. However, if we live under the burden of circumstances instead of seeing God in their midst, our hearts will be filled with emotional chaos or spiritual rebellion, and there will be no joy. As Christians, we should be the most joyful people on earth, heart and soul at rest, because we serve the God of all circumstances, Lord of every mountain and Shepherd of every valley. However, this week alone, I have talked with both men and women who are ready to walk away from their lives all because in their hearts, marriages and ministries, there is neither joy nor peace. They cannot see God in their circumstances. The darkness is closing in as they struggle to stay afloat on the storm-tossed seas of strained relationships fueled by exhaustion, burnout, depression and a lack of purpose for living. Anger is a constant companion, and bitterness shadows each step. This is not the way life is supposed to be - is it?

When we fail to faithfully and continually seek God, we will likely forfeit our joy to human idols and lifeless activities in which we often exchange holiness for tolerance. No wonder we sometimes find life impotent and dismal when it should be powerful and filled with unshakable joy. We are to be vessels containing, and naturally spilling out, the joy of the Lord on those in our lives. That joy is our strength and the salt that makes others thirst to know Him more. Instead of focusing on what is wrong in life, we need to look on the "right" side of life.

A little girl and her father were taking a walk one night. They lived way out in the country on a remote farm far from the neon signs of the city. The night was still and dark, cloaked in reverent silence. Lightning bugs pranced through the tall grass and the onyx skies, celebrating life itself. Father and daughter walked in comfortable silence, satisfied just to be together. With a contented sigh, the little girl looked up into the dark skies filled with winking stars that seemed on the verge of bursting into sparkling worship of their Creator, God Himself. The little girl was overwhelmed and cried out, "Oh, Daddy! If the wrong side of heaven is so beautiful, I wonder what the right side looks like!"

We live on the wrong side of heaven. This world is not our home. It is a broken place filled with unspeakable pain and crushed dreams. Even so, we can live in this foreign land for a while - with joy -- knowing that home is waiting, celebrating here because of what we have there. "The Message" translates the words of Paul in Philippians 4:4 this way, "Celebrate God all day, every day. Revel in him!" I love it! Paul is calling us to party! That's right! We are to celebrate God every minute of every day for as many days as we have. "Revel" literally means "to party, to raise the roof" or, as my Mama used to say, "paint the town red." Every day we have a choice to make when it comes to our perspective on life. That choice then determines our attitudes which then lead to the actions that determine success or failure and the quality with which we live and serve.

Paul is serious about joy, and his instructions are clear. We are to be joyful - always. I know that many times, life makes it impossible to be happy but happiness is not what Paul is talking about. Happiness is a cheap imitation of true joy, depending totally upon man-made circumstances, while joy is an inside job and depends totally upon God's presence in the midst of those circumstances. Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us that "the joy you have in the LORD is your strength" (GWT). Remember that joy is not a feeling but rather a chosen perspective that recognizes the fact that God is in control. I am not talking about the power of positive thinking. I am talking about a real, honest-to-goodness transformation of the perspective from which we live. I'm talking about the power of God, active and present in every circumstance. Don't settle for Pharisaical religion or slot-filling, box-checking church activity. Settle for nothing less than the unexplainable but undeniable power of God's presence at work in your life.

Let's Pray

Father, thank You for the joy you have given me through Your love, mercy and grace. Forgive me for the times I take that joy for granted. Teach me how to look for you in the circumstances of my daily life. I want to celebrate Your presence even when I may not understand or even like Your process. I want to learn to trust You more and walk by faith.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Ask yourself the following questions:

How can I train my heart and mind to look for God at work in my life?
In what ways does an awareness of God's presence change the way I live each day?

Begin each day by setting the focus of your heart and mind on seeking God. Look for His handprint in every person you encounter. Keep John 3:16 in the forefront of your thoughts. Praise Him the minute you recognize His power at work around you. Share that revelation with a friend and record it in your journal.

More from the Girlfriends

Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary's website.

Need help experiencing peace in your life? Mary's E-Bible Study, How to Find Your Missing Peace for practical and powerful steps you can take to live a life of victory. .

Need help getting the Word of God into your life? Check out Mary's Weekly Online Bible Study, When I Am Afraid, to learn how to face, deal with and surrender your fears to God.

Are you ready to begin a new faith adventure? Get a copy of our new book, Trusting God.

Seeking God?

Click here to find out more about

how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

P.O. Box 725

Matthews, NC 28106

info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

===

January 31, 2012

Not the Same
Lynn Cowell

"When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which he entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate." Ezekiel 46:9 (NIV 1984)

As soon as my eyes opened I knew it was going to be one of "those" days. I think that saying, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" was created for days like this. I was sad, disappointed, frustrated and empty.

But I couldn't put my finger on why I felt all of these emotions. I just knew I had to get out of the house before everyone woke up and my feelings steered our day in the wrong direction.

I put on my tennis shoes and started out the front door. Though unsure of where I was going to run, I was certain of the length: far! Far enough for me to come back with a different perspective. What I needed was to get alone with Jesus, to have Him fill me, and exchange my negative emotions with His peace, truth and life.

As I started my run, old thoughts poured into my head.You are not beautiful. You are not special. Your life doesn't count. After years of reading, studying and even teaching the Truth, it was hard to believe I still struggled with these dark thoughts.

As lies poured in, I remember scriptures stored in my mind and heart. He sees me as beautiful. He says He is wild about me. He is more than enough for me. He is all I need.

Mulling over these precious promises from God's Word, tears began to pour. This is what I needed.

I didn't need more words of affirmation from my husband. I didn't need another pat on the back from a friend. I needed a new outpouring of love from my Love. I needed to be reminded of who He says I am, to give up the old lies and replace them with His Truths.

When we come into God's presence, He fills us. The Lord changes us so that we are not the same as we were when we came to Him. Ezekiel 46:9 represents this exchange of old for new. The people of Israel were told when they came into the temple area to worship, they were to enter through one gate and exit through the opposite gate.

So the same should be true with us; we are "not to go back as we came, but more holy, and heavenly, and spiritual" (Matthew Henry). As we enter into our special times with God, we need to come out the "opposite gate," different than the way we went in.

After an hour of running, crying and talking to God, I was not the same when I returned home. Now, I was ready. Ready to be the wife and mom my family needed. Restored into a vessel that God could use. Being with Jesus had changed me.

Dear Lord, I need You today. Living this life sometimes drains me and leaves me empty. As I come through Your gates and into Your presence, change me. Pour Your life and heart into me so that as I leave through the "opposite gate," I am not the same woman as when I came in. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

Want a friend to walk with you in understanding this life-changing Love? Check out Lynn's book His Revolutionary Love

Visit Lynn's blog to enter a give-away of her book His Revolutionary Love and a Starbucks gift card!

Reflect and Respond:
What brings up old, negative thoughts? Harsh words with my husband? Rejection at work? Communication patterns in broken relationships? I'll begin to recognize these triggers so I can make a point to run to Jesus for truth each time they resurface.

Do I need help coming into the Lord's presence? Today I'll play worship music and let God's truth pour into my heart. As it does, I'll respond to Him in words of praise for who He is and what He means to me.

Power Verses:
Titus 3:5b-7, "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (NIV 1984)

Ephesians 4:21-22 23, "Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of lifeÖ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes." (NLT)

Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org

===

The two talents

“He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Matthew 25:22-23

Suggested Further Reading: 1 Chronicles 29:1-17

If by divine grace—(and it is only by divine grace that this can ever be accomplished)—our two talents be rightly used, the fact that we did not have five, will be no injury to us. You say, when such a man dies, who stood in the midst of the church, a triumphant warrior for the truth, the angels will crowd to heaven’s gates to see him, for he has been a mighty hero, and done much for his Master. A Calvin or a Luther, with what plaudits shall they be received!—men with talents, who have been faithful to their trust. Yes, but know ye not, that there is many a humble village pastor whose flock scarcely numbers fifty, who toils for them as for his life, who spends hours in praying for their welfare, who uses all the little ability he has in his endeavour to win them to Christ; and do ye imagine that his entry into heaven shall be less triumphant than the entry of such a man as Luther? If so, ye know not how God dealeth with his people. He giveth them rewards, not according to the greatness of the goods with which they were entrusted, but according to their fidelity thereunto, and he that hath been faithful in the least, shall be as much rewarded, as he that hath been faithful in much. I want you briefly to turn to the chapter to see this. You will note first, that the man with two talents came to his Lord with as great a confidence as the man that had five. “And he said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents; behold, I have gained two talents beside them.”

For meditation: These words, spoken exactly 34 years before the day on which Spurgeon died, remind us not to covet the gifts of a Spurgeon. Our concern, as believers, should not be how much we have got from God, but how much we gladly use whatever we have got for God (1 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 8:12).

Sermon no. 175
31 January (1858)

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Jesus Overcomes Satan

Matthew 4:8-11

Matthew Henry comments that "the best of saints may be tempted to the worst of sins." Though Jesus never sinned, Satan left the worst temptation of all for last - blatant idolatry. If our Lord faced such a test, we too cannot be surprised if we are tempted to do the worst. But take heart, for Jesus can strengthen us to defeat the enemy. When tempted, run to Him in prayer and study His Word so that you can resist the Devil.

For further study:

Genesis 39:6b-12

The Bible in a year:

Exodus 39-Lev. 1

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Jesus Overcomes Satan

Matthew 4:8-11 "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve'" (v. 10).

Fame, power, and authority are so enticing that many people embrace wickedness in their drive to be known and followed. Men lie and cheat in order to climb the corporate ladder. Starlets try to outdo one another's outrageous behavior in order to keep their names in the spotlight. Politicians lie and stab others in the back in their pursuit of the highest offices in the land. Matthew Henry is right to say that "the glory of the world is the most charming temptation to the unthinking and unwary and that by which men are most deceived. The pride of life is the most dangerous snare."

In today's passage, Satan presents Jesus with a prize - authority over all the kingdoms of this world ( Matt. 4:8-9). This rule is not sinful in itself since the Messiah is promised reign over the nations (Ps. 2:8). The problem is the means the Devil offers. Worship of a false god, the evil one himself, can bring the Son of David immediately to a position of authority in the world (Matt. 4:9 ). Satan is tempting Jesus to take a shortcut and bypass the cross to receive the name by which every tongue on heaven and earth will bow (Phil. 2:5-11). John Calvin says this temptation is that "Christ should seek, in another manner than from God, the inheritance that he has promised to his children."

Adam failed this test. Instead of submitting to the Creator, he embraced godless autonomy. He ate the forbidden fruit so that he could be a law unto himself instead of looking to the Almighty to define right and wrong ( Gen. 3). God's son Israel (Hos. 11:1) disobeyed as well by going after other gods (Ex. 32). However, Jesus will not make the same mistake. On a mountain He will declare that He has received authority, but it will not be on the mount of temptation. No, it will be on a mountain after He is faithful to His Father's will ( Matt. 28:16-20). Jesus will not avoid the cross in His drive to regain the righteous dominion given to man (Gen. 1:26-27). He will not become an idolater (Matt. 4:10).

Thus, Jesus triumphs over Satan (v. 11 ). This is good news for us indeed. In staring down temptation, Jesus experienced suffering, and thus He is able to help us when we are tempted (Heb. 2:18).

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

For further study:

Genesis 39:6b-12

The Bible in a year:

Exodus 39-Lev. 1

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Do you know him?

‘That I may know him.’ Philippians 3:10

Suggested Further Reading: Acts 8:9–24

Let me warn you of second-hand spirituality; it is a rotten soul-deceiving deception. Beware of all esteeming yourself according to the thoughts of others, or you will be ruined. Another man’s opinion of me may have great influence over me. I have heard of a man in perfectly good health killed by the opinion of others. Several of his friends had foolishly agreed to play him a practical trick; whereupon one of them met him and said, ‘How ill you look this morning.’ He did not feel so; he was very much surprised at the remark. When he met the next, who said to him, ‘Oh! dear, how bad you look,’ he began to think there might be something in it; and as he turned smart round the corner, a third person said to him, ‘What a sight you are! How altered from what you used to be!’ He went home ill, he took to his bed and died. So goes the story, and I should not marvel if it really did occur. Now, if such might be the effect of persuasion and supposed belief in the sickness of a man, how much more readily may men be persuaded into the idea of spiritual health! A believer meets you, and by his treatment seems to say, ‘I welcome you as a dear brother’—and means it too. You are baptised, and you are received into church fellowship, and so everybody thinks that you must be a follower of Christ; and yet you may not know him. O I do pray you, do not be satisfied with being persuaded into something like an assurance that you are in him, but do know him—know him for yourself.

For meditation: We should all take it for granted that by nature we are all hell-deserving sinners. None of us have any right to take it for granted that we are heaven-bound saints. Even with the kindest of motives, spiritual flattery is a killer. For God to wound us by telling us the awful truth about ourselves is an amazing offer of friendship (Proverbs 27:6), a merciful warning to flee from the wrath to come by trusting in Christ crucified ( 2 Corinthians 5:19–21).

Sermon no. 552
31 January (1864)

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	Having trouble seeing this email? View it online. Bible Gateway \| The Brook Network \| Mel Lawrenz

THE GOD QUESTION There are only so many different views on the question of God. Do you know what you believe? Atheism, or materialism, is the view that there really is no God. As a dogma or philosophy, atheism says that there is a physical universe and nothing else. Belief in God is a weak-minded explanation or naïve wishful thinking preventing people from standing on their own two feet. Polytheism is the belief that there are many gods. The polytheist says, "in our tribe we worship this god, but you live on the other side of the river (or across the ocean, or in a different culture), and you worship a different god. We choose to accept a plurality of gods because we're not about to believe in your god, and we don't care a bit if you believe in our god." There is no absolute God to whom you are fully accountable. Pantheism holds that there is a divine nature in the universe, but it is indistinguishable from the physical universe itself. God is not separate; God is what is; God is an "it." Pantheism deifies the earth and the self. It holds that if we have within us an urge to find the divine, it is because we are divine, and part of a spiritual unity that binds together all reality. Pantheism says that your search for God doesn't need to stretch any further than what you can see. What it does not offer is a God who is better than us, higher than us, stronger than us. Deism is the belief that there is a God who created the universe, but then stepped back from it all and has no controlling influence over or involvement in the world. There are no miracles-never have been. There is no word from heaven-never has been. Don't expect any direct divine involvement in your life-never will be. The Bible is a human book with spiritual aspirations, but ignore the miracles (including the resurrection of Jesus) because we know better than that today. Theism is the biblical view. A confidence that when you pray, there is a God who hears you. An anticipation about what new movement God is going to initiate in the world today. An attentiveness to the voice of God. A confidence in divine love. A belief that God acts with intelligent purpose. Theism is the belief that there is a God who is singular, transcendent, all-powerful, consistent, and wise. And he is personal. Next time: how is God "personal"? [Mel expands on all this, including explanations of how Christianity is different from Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and other world religions in his book I Want to Believe: Finding Your Way in an Age of Many Faiths.You can get this book free today when you order a copy of Patterns: Ways to Develop a God-Filled Life. OrderHERE.] Sign up for Mel Lawrenz's weekly article, The Brook Letter We'd love to have you join us on Facebook or follow on Twitter.
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What about those who never hear about Jesus?

This week's reading: Acts 4:12

There may be no satisfactory answer to this question. The Bible is clear about the exclusive claims of Christ (see Jn 14:6). Yet we also know God is merciful and absolutely just. It would seem to contradict what we know of his nature if he did not account for the disadvantages of those who, through no fault of their own, have never heard of Jesus.

From another perspective we have to say that even those who have heard the name of Jesus do not deserve to be saved. Salvation is always the result of God’s love for us, not our love for him. It is his grace—not our efforts—that saves us.

Still, God’s grace requires a human response. Christians have a responsibility to make Christ known in all the world so people have the opportunity to respond (see Mt 28:19–20). Ultimately, we can trust God to judge the world justly.

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Daily Devotional Friday 3rd February

Morning

Evening

Today's reading: Exodus 29-30, Matthew 21:23-46 (NIV)

Consecration of the Priests

Exodus 30

The Altar of Incense

Atonement Money

Basin for Washing

Anointing Oil

Incense

Matthew 21

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

The Parable of the Two Sons

The Parable of the Tenants

No Questions Asked

Life in earnest

The enchanted ground

Make the Most of Today

To Take Away

How Does Jesus' Saving Work Illustrate His Divinity?

No Questions Asked

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

When Life Is Cut Short

US Campaign for Burma News Wrap

Daily Devotional Thursday 2nd February

Morning

Evening

Today's reading: Exodus 27-28, Matthew 21:1-22 (NIV)

The Altar of Burnt Offering

The Courtyard

Oil for the Lampstand

Exodus 28

The Priestly Garments

The Ephod

The Breastpiece

Other Priestly Garments

Matthew 21

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

Jesus at the Temple

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree

The Man Who Sought After God

Ministry in Galilee

Ministry in Galilee

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Nominal Christians—real infidels

Why are men saved?

At Issue: Relationships

Conversations with Jesus

Daily Devotional Wednesday 1st February

Morning

Evening

Today's reading: Exodus 25-26, Matthew 20:17-34 (NIV)

Offerings for the Tabernacle

The Ark

The Table

The Lampstand

Exodus 26

The Tabernacle

Matthew 20

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time

A Mother’s Request

Two Blind Men Receive Sight

The Man Who Remained Loyal

The two talents

Jesus Overcomes Satan

Jesus Overcomes Satan

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Do you know him?

THE GOD QUESTION

Resources

What about those who never hear about Jesus?

Live Science