December 15

John 18:28-40

Jesus Before Pilate

[28] Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. [29] So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” [30] They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” [31] Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” [32] This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

My Kingdom Is Not of This World

[33] So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” [34] Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” [35] Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” [36] Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” [37] Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” [38] Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” 

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.  [39] But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” [40] They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

Revelation 12

The Woman and the Dragon

[1] And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. [2] She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. [3] And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. [4] His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. [5] She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, [6] and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.

Satan Thrown Down to Earth

[7] Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, [8] but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. [9] And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. [10] And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. [11] And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. [12] Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

[13] And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. [14] But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. [15] The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. [16] But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. [17] Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

Job 35

Elihu Condemns Job

[1] And Elihu answered and said:

    [2] “Do you think this to be just?

        Do you say, ‘It is my right before God,’ 

    [3] that you ask, ‘What advantage have I?

        How am I better off than if I had sinned?’ 

    [4] I will answer you

        and your friends with you. 

    [5] Look at the heavens, and see;

        and behold the clouds, which are higher than you. 

    [6] If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?

        And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? 

    [7] If you are righteous, what do you give to him?

        Or what does he receive from your hand? 

    [8] Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,

        and your righteousness a son of man.

    [9] “Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out;

        they call for help because of the arm of the mighty. 

    [10] But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker,

        who gives songs in the night, 

    [11] who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth

        and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’ 

    [12] There they cry out, but he does not answer,

        because of the pride of evil men. 

    [13] Surely God does not hear an empty cry,

        nor does the Almighty regard it. 

    [14] How much less when you say that you do not see him,

        that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him! 

    [15] And now, because his anger does not punish,

        and he does not take much note of transgression, 

    [16] Job opens his mouth in empty talk;

        he multiplies words without knowledge.”

Micah 4

The Mountain of the LORD

    [1] It shall come to pass in the latter days

        that the mountain of the house of the LORD

    shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

        and it shall be lifted up above the hills;

    and peoples shall flow to it, 

    [2]     and many nations shall come, and say:

    “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

        to the house of the God of Jacob,

    that he may teach us his ways

        and that we may walk in his paths.”

    For out of Zion shall go forth the law,

        and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 

    [3] He shall judge between many peoples,

        and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away;

    and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

        and their spears into pruning hooks;

    nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

        neither shall they learn war anymore; 

    [4] but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,

        and no one shall make them afraid,

        for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. 

    [5] For all the peoples walk

        each in the name of its god,

    but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God

        forever and ever.

    The LORD Shall Rescue Zion

    [6] In that day, declares the LORD,

        I will assemble the lame

    and gather those who have been driven away

        and those whom I have afflicted; 

    [7] and the lame I will make the remnant,

        and those who were cast off, a strong nation;

    and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion

        from this time forth and forevermore.

    [8] And you, O tower of the flock,

        hill of the daughter of Zion,

    to you shall it come,

        the former dominion shall come,

        kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem.

    [9] Now why do you cry aloud?

        Is there no king in you?

    Has your counselor perished,

        that pain seized you like a woman in labor? 

    [10] Writhe and groan, O daughter of Zion,

        like a woman in labor,

    for now you shall go out from the city

        and dwell in the open country;

        you shall go to Babylon.

    There you shall be rescued;

        there the LORD will redeem you

        from the hand of your enemies.

    [11] Now many nations

        are assembled against you,

    saying, “Let her be defiled,

        and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.” 

    [12] But they do not know

        the thoughts of the LORD;

    they do not understand his plan,

        that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. 

    [13] Arise and thresh,

        O daughter of Zion,

    for I will make your horn iron,

        and I will make your hoofs bronze;

    you shall beat in pieces many peoples;

        and shall devote their gain to the LORD,

        their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.

Micah 5

The Ruler to Be Born in Bethlehem

    [1]  Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops;

        siege is laid against us;

    with a rod they strike the judge of Israel

        on the cheek. 

    [2]  But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

        who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

    from you shall come forth for me

        one who is to be ruler in Israel,

    whose coming forth is from of old,

        from ancient days. 

    [3] Therefore he shall give them up until the time

        when she who is in labor has given birth;

    then the rest of his brothers shall return

        to the people of Israel. 

    [4] And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD,

        in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.

    And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great

        to the ends of the earth. 

    [5] And he shall be their peace.

    When the Assyrian comes into our land

        and treads in our palaces,

    then we will raise against him seven shepherds

        and eight princes of men; 

    [6] they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,

        and the land of Nimrod at its entrances;

    and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian

        when he comes into our land

        and treads within our border.

    A Remnant Shall Be Delivered

    [7] Then the remnant of Jacob shall be

        in the midst of many peoples

    like dew from the LORD,

        like showers on the grass,

    which delay not for a man

        nor wait for the children of man. 

    [8] And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations,

        in the midst of many peoples,

    like a lion among the beasts of the forest,

        like a young lion among the flocks of sheep,

    which, when it goes through, treads down

        and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver. 

    [9] Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries,

        and all your enemies shall be cut off.

    [10] And in that day, declares the LORD,

        I will cut off your horses from among you

        and will destroy your chariots; 

    [11] and I will cut off the cities of your land

        and throw down all your strongholds; 

    [12] and I will cut off sorceries from your hand,

        and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes; 

    [13] and I will cut off your carved images

        and your pillars from among you,

    and you shall bow down no more

        to the work of your hands; 

    [14] and I will root out your Asherah images from among you

        and destroy your cities. 

    [15] And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance

        on the nations that did not obey.

God is Working on Hearts

PRAY OVER THIS

“And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’” John 9:2-5

 

PONDER THIS

I used to think as a young preacher that to get people saved you just had to tell them how to be saved—just turn on the light. But a person who is blind cannot see the light no matter how strong or how pure. It takes more than preaching to get people saved. I can preach the truth, but only the Holy Spirit can impart truth. That is the reason we must stay on our knees in prayer. That is the reason you must be a spirit-filled soul winner. We are dependent on God to open blinded eyes to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We need to understand that nobody can be argued or educated into the kingdom of Heaven. I’m not against letting the light shine. You must let the light shine. You must preach. But remember there is another dimension. This man was face-to-face with the Light of the World, but he could not see. A Christian with a glowing testimony is worth a library full of arguments. We don’t argue people into the kingdom of God. We tell them the truth and trust God to work in their hearts.

When have you seen God at work in someone else’s life?

Do you trust the Holy Spirit to give those around you vision? Why or why not?

PRACTICE THIS

Make a list of those you know who are not followers of Jesus or are distant from Him right now. Ask God to give them vision to see who He is.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Making It Real for His People

Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. (Hebrews 8:6)

Christ is the Mediator of a new covenant, according to Hebrews 8:6. What does that mean? It means that his blood — the blood of the covenant (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 13:20) — finally and decisively purchased and secured the fulfillment of God’s promises for us.

It means that God, according to the new covenant promises, brings about our inner transformation by the Spirit of Christ.

And it means that God works this transformation in us through faith — faith in all that God is for us in Christ.

The new covenant is purchased by the blood of Christ, effected by the Spirit of Christ, and appropriated by faith in Christ.

The best place to see Christ working as the Mediator of the new covenant is in Hebrews 13:20–21:

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

The words “working in us that which is pleasing in his sight” describe what happens when God writes the law on our hearts in accord with the new covenant. And the words “through Jesus Christ” describe Jesus as the Mediator of this glorious work of sovereign grace.

So, the meaning of Christmas is not only that God replaces shadows with Reality, but also that he takes the Reality and makes it real to his people. He writes it on our hearts. He does not lay his Christmas gift of salvation and transformation under the tree, so to speak, for you to pick up in your own strength. He picks it up and puts it in your heart and in your mind and gives you the seal of assurance that you are a child of God.

John Piper 

By No Human Hand

Where does death come from?

Where does death return to?

How does it take a soul?

No human being knows.

Should we not consider death?

Death is tied to each living being.

Our destiny is death.

There is no escape from it.

Actual death itself is another story.

The body dies, the spirit or soul does not.

God created the soul of man to be eternal. 

Eternity with God is secured through the cleansing blood of Christ, redemption by a spotless Lamb who is able to satisfy God's wrath toward sin.

The other Eternity is with Satan in Hell for rebellious sinners who refuse the salvation that only comes from Christ.

This should terrify every breathing soul!

Job 34:20

    [20] In a moment they die;

        at midnight the people are shaken and pass away,

        and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.

Job 27:20

    [20] Terrors overtake him like a flood;

        in the night a whirlwind carries him off.

2 Peter 2:6

[6] if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;

James 4:14

[14] yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Job 7:7

    [7] “Remember that my life is a breath;

        my eye will never again see good.

Matthew 16:26

[26] For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Job 27:8

    [8] For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off,

        when God takes away his life?

Psalm 49:7-9

    [7] Truly no man can ransom another,

        or give to God the price of his life, 

    [8] for the ransom of their life is costly

        and can never suffice, 

    [9] that he should live on forever

        and never see the pit.

Luke 12:20

[20] But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’

Romans 8:1-4

Life in the Spirit

[1] There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, [4] in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Colossians 2:13-14

[13] And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, [14] by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

1 Timothy 2:3-6

[3] This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, [4] who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. [5] For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, [6] who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

December 14

Luke 18:19-27

[19] And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. [20] You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” [21] And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” [22] When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” [23] But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. [24] Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! [25] For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” [26] Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” [27] But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Revelation 11

The Two Witnesses

[1] Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, [2] but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. [3] And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”

[4] These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. [5] And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. [6] They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. [7] And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, [8] and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. [9] For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, [10] and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. [11] But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. [12] Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. [13] And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

[14] The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.

The Seventh Trumpet

[15] Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” [16] And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, [17] saying, 

    “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,

        who is and who was,

    for you have taken your great power

        and begun to reign. 

    [18] The nations raged,

        but your wrath came,

        and the time for the dead to be judged,

    and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,

        and those who fear your name,

        both small and great,

    and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

    [19] Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

Job 34:21-37

    [21] “For his eyes are on the ways of a man,

        and he sees all his steps. 

    [22] There is no gloom or deep darkness

        where evildoers may hide themselves. 

    [23] For God has no need to consider a man further,

        that he should go before God in judgment. 

    [24] He shatters the mighty without investigation

        and sets others in their place. 

    [25] Thus, knowing their works,

        he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed. 

    [26] He strikes them for their wickedness

        in a place for all to see, 

    [27] because they turned aside from following him

        and had no regard for any of his ways, 

    [28] so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,

        and he heard the cry of the afflicted—

    [29] When he is quiet, who can condemn?

        When he hides his face, who can behold him,

        whether it be a nation or a man?—

    [30] that a godless man should not reign,

        that he should not ensnare the people.

    [31] “For has anyone said to God,

        ‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more; 

    [32] teach me what I do not see;

        if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’? 

    [33] Will he then make repayment to suit you,

        because you reject it?

    For you must choose, and not I;

        therefore declare what you know. 

    [34] Men of understanding will say to me,

        and the wise man who hears me will say: 

    [35] ‘Job speaks without knowledge;

        his words are without insight.’ 

    [36] Would that Job were tried to the end,

        because he answers like wicked men. 

    [37] For he adds rebellion to his sin;

        he claps his hands among us

        and multiplies his words against God.”

Micah 1

[1] The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

The Coming Destruction

    [2] Hear, you peoples, all of you;

        pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it,

    and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you,

        the Lord from his holy temple. 

    [3] For behold, the LORD is coming out of his place,

        and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth. 

    [4] And the mountains will melt under him,

        and the valleys will split open,

    like wax before the fire,

        like waters poured down a steep place. 

    [5] All this is for the transgression of Jacob

        and for the sins of the house of Israel.

    What is the transgression of Jacob?

        Is it not Samaria?

    And what is the high place of Judah?

        Is it not Jerusalem? 

    [6] Therefore I will make Samaria a heap in the open country,

        a place for planting vineyards,

    and I will pour down her stones into the valley

        and uncover her foundations. 

    [7] All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces,

        all her wages shall be burned with fire,

        and all her idols I will lay waste,

    for from the fee of a prostitute she gathered them,

        and to the fee of a prostitute they shall return.

    [8] For this I will lament and wail;

        I will go stripped and naked;

    I will make lamentation like the jackals,

        and mourning like the ostriches. 

    [9] For her wound is incurable,

        and it has come to Judah;

    it has reached to the gate of my people,

        to Jerusalem.

    [10] Tell it not in Gath;

        weep not at all;

    in Beth-le-aphrah

        roll yourselves in the dust. 

    [11] Pass on your way,

        inhabitants of Shaphir,

        in nakedness and shame;

    the inhabitants of Zaanan

        do not come out;

    the lamentation of Beth-ezel

        shall take away from you its standing place. 

    [12] For the inhabitants of Maroth

        wait anxiously for good,

    because disaster has come down from the LORD

        to the gate of Jerusalem. 

    [13] Harness the steeds to the chariots,

        inhabitants of Lachish;

    it was the beginning of sin

        to the daughter of Zion,

    for in you were found

        the transgressions of Israel. 

    [14] Therefore you shall give parting gifts

        to Moresheth-gath;

    the houses of Achzib shall be a deceitful thing

        to the kings of Israel. 

    [15] I will again bring a conqueror to you,

        inhabitants of Mareshah;

    the glory of Israel

        shall come to Adullam. 

    [16] Make yourselves bald and cut off your hair,

        for the children of your delight;

    make yourselves as bald as the eagle,

        for they shall go from you into exile.

Micah 2

Woe to the Oppressors

    [1] Woe to those who devise wickedness

        and work evil on their beds!

    When the morning dawns, they perform it,

        because it is in the power of their hand. 

    [2] They covet fields and seize them,

        and houses, and take them away;

    they oppress a man and his house,

        a man and his inheritance. 

    [3] Therefore thus says the LORD:

    behold, against this family I am devising disaster,

        from which you cannot remove your necks,

    and you shall not walk haughtily,

        for it will be a time of disaster. 

    [4] In that day they shall take up a taunt song against you

        and moan bitterly,

    and say, “We are utterly ruined;

        he changes the portion of my people;

    how he removes it from me!

        To an apostate he allots our fields.” 

    [5] Therefore you will have none to cast the line by lot

        in the assembly of the LORD.

    [6] “Do not preach”—thus they preach—

        “one should not preach of such things;

        disgrace will not overtake us.” 

    [7] Should this be said, O house of Jacob?

        Has the LORD grown impatient?

        Are these his deeds?

    Do not my words do good

        to him who walks uprightly? 

    [8] But lately my people have risen up as an enemy;

    you strip the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly

        with no thought of war. 

    [9] The women of my people you drive out

        from their delightful houses;

    from their young children you take away

        my splendor forever. 

    [10] Arise and go,

        for this is no place to rest,

    because of uncleanness that destroys

        with a grievous destruction. 

    [11] If a man should go about and utter wind and lies,

        saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”

        he would be the preacher for this people! 

    [12] I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob;

        I will gather the remnant of Israel;

    I will set them together

        like sheep in a fold,

    like a flock in its pasture,

        a noisy multitude of men. 

    [13] He who opens the breach goes up before them;

        they break through and pass the gate,

        going out by it.

    Their king passes on before them,

        the LORD at their head.

Micah 3

Rulers and Prophets Denounced

    [1] And I said:

    Hear, you heads of Jacob

        and rulers of the house of Israel!

    Is it not for you to know justice?—

    [2]     you who hate the good and love the evil,

    who tear the skin from off my people

        and their flesh from off their bones, 

    [3] who eat the flesh of my people,

        and flay their skin from off them,

    and break their bones in pieces

        and chop them up like meat in a pot,

        like flesh in a cauldron.

    [4] Then they will cry to the LORD,

        but he will not answer them;

    he will hide his face from them at that time,

        because they have made their deeds evil.

    [5] Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets

        who lead my people astray,

    who cry “Peace”

        when they have something to eat,

    but declare war against him

        who puts nothing into their mouths. 

    [6] Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision,

        and darkness to you, without divination.

    The sun shall go down on the prophets,

        and the day shall be black over them; 

    [7] the seers shall be disgraced,

        and the diviners put to shame;

    they shall all cover their lips,

        for there is no answer from God. 

    [8] But as for me, I am filled with power,

        with the Spirit of the LORD,

        and with justice and might,

    to declare to Jacob his transgression

        and to Israel his sin.

    [9] Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob

        and rulers of the house of Israel,

    who detest justice

        and make crooked all that is straight, 

    [10] who build Zion with blood

        and Jerusalem with iniquity. 

    [11] Its heads give judgment for a bribe;

        its priests teach for a price;

        its prophets practice divination for money;

    yet they lean on the LORD and say,

        “Is not the LORD in the midst of us?

        No disaster shall come upon us.” 

    [12] Therefore because of you

        Zion shall be plowed as a field;

    Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,

        and the mountain of the house a wooded height.

Fully Satisfied in Jesus

PRAY OVER THIS

“For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:9

 

PONDER THIS

You can have programs at church that will get people to come. You can get them there with fun, dinners, plays, and programs, but if that is all you give them, and you don't give them Jesus, then you have missed the whole thing. What you catch them with is what you have to keep them with. There are different platforms for preaching the Gospel, but there is no substitute for the Gospel. Christ came as the Bread of Life, that people might be saved. They must be born again. So many churches are missing this today. Jesus is our spiritual bread.

Men are searching everywhere for satisfaction. They’ll never find it until they find it in the Lord Jesus. What did God create you for? You may think, “God created me to serve Him.” But if He only wanted someone to serve Him, He’d get somebody a lot better than you or I. He could get angels. God made you to love Him. That’s what you were made for—to know Him and to love Him. God made a bird to fly in the sky and a fish to swim in the sea. God made you to know Him, to love Him, and to worship Him, and until you do, you’ll be like a bird in the sea or a fish in the air; you’ll be out of your element. “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28a).

Who do you know who lives a life that is satisfied in Jesus? How does that testimony shine through that person?

If God has made you to know Him and to love Him, how can you make these things more of a priority in your life?

PRACTICE THIS

Write out your normal routine. Now write another routine where knowing and loving God would be the top priority. Note what is similar and what is different.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers