The Joy of Jesus (Church Online)

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Measuring Growth | Our Daily Bread

Measuring Growth

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September 6, 2011 — by Julie Ackerman Link

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Ephesians 4:1-16

Till we all come to the unity of the faith and . . . to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. —Ephesians 4:13

Bible in a year:
Psalms 148-150; 1 Corinthians 15:29-58

When a high school student tried using a thermometer to measure a table, his teacher was dumbfounded. In 15 years of teaching, Dave had seen many sad and shocking situations. But even he was amazed that a student could make it to high school without knowing the difference between a ruler and a thermometer.

When a friend told me this story, my heart broke for that student and others like him who have fallen so far behind in their education. They can’t move forward because they haven’t yet learned basic lessons of everyday life.

But then a sobering thought came to me: Don’t we sometimes do the same thing when we use wrong spiritual measuring devices? For example, do we assume that churches with the most resources are the most blessed by God? And do we ever think that popular preachers are more godly than those with few followers?

The proper measure of our spiritual condition is the quality of our lives, which is measured by such attributes as lowliness, gentleness, and longsuffering (Eph. 4:2). “Bearing with one another in love” (v.2) is a good indication that we are moving toward God’s goal for us: “the measure of . . . the fullness of Christ” (v.13).

Our spiritual maturity
Is measured by the quality
Of attributes that others see
Produced in us by Christ. —Sper

John 11:28-57 "And when she had so said ,..." KJV - Online Bible Study

²⁸ And when she had so said , she went her way , and called Mary her sister secretly, saying , The Master is come , and calleth for thee. ²⁹ As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. ³⁰ Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. ³¹ The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out , followed her, saying , She goeth unto the grave to weep there. ³² Then when Mary was come where Jesus was , and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died . ³³ When Jesus therefore saw her weeping , and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled , ³⁴ And said , Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see . ³⁵ Jesus wept . ³⁶ Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! ³⁷ And some of them said , Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died ? ³⁸ Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave . It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. ³⁹ Jesus said , Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead , saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh : for he hath been dead four days. ⁴⁰ Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe , thou shouldest see the glory of God? ⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid . And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said , Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. ⁴² And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. ⁴³ And when he thus had spoken , he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. ⁴⁴ And he that was dead came forth , bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go . ⁴⁵ Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did , believed on him. ⁴⁶ But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done . ⁴⁷ Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said , What do we ? for this man doeth many miracles. ⁴⁸ If we let him thus alone , all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. ⁴⁹ And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all , ⁵⁰ Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. ⁵¹ And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; ⁵² And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad . ⁵³ Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death . ⁵⁴ Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples. ⁵⁵ And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. ⁵⁶ Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? ⁵⁷ Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were , he should shew it, that they might take him.

2 Chronicles 12:1-16

¹ And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. ² And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD, ³ With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians. ⁴ And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. ⁵ Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. ⁶ Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said , The LORD is righteous. ⁷ And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying , They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. ⁸ Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. ⁹ So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made . ¹⁰ Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard , that kept the entrance of the king's house. ¹¹ And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber. ¹² And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well. ¹³ So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned : for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign , and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. ¹⁴ And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD. ¹⁵ Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies ? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. ¹⁶ And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 13:1-22

¹ Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. ² He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. ³ And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour. ⁴ And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said , Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; ⁵ Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? ⁶ Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up , and hath rebelled against his lord. ⁷ And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted , and could not withstand them. ⁸ And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. ⁹ Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. ¹⁰ But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business: ¹¹ And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him. ¹² And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper . ¹³ But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them. ¹⁴ And when Judah looked back , behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. ¹⁵ Then the men of Judah gave a shout : and as the men of Judah shouted , it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. ¹⁶ And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand. ¹⁷ And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. ¹⁸ Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed , because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers. ¹⁹ And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethelwith the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof. ²⁰ Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died . ²¹ But Abijah waxed mighty , and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. ²² And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

Psalm 76:1-12

¹ In Judah is God known : his name is great in Israel. ² In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. ³ There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah. ⁴ Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. ⁵ The stouthearted are spoiled , they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands. ⁶ At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep . ⁷ Thou, even thou, art to be feared : and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? ⁸ Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared , and was still , ⁹ When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah. ¹⁰ Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain . ¹¹ Vow , and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. ¹² He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

The King James Version is in the public domain

Monday, September 5, 2011

Daily Word

Home | Daily Word: "WORK BLESSING
I bless myself and others through my work.
Through my work, creative activity and successful achievement, I am a channel through which the tireless energy of the Infinite finds expression. Whether I work in an office, factory, shop, home or elsewhere, God's spirit works through me. With every task, I am providing an outlet for the creative ability of the indwelling Spirit.

Should I ever be distressed or overwhelmed by my occupation or activities, I stop and breathe into the spirit of God within me. I affirm: It is not I who does the work; it is God who works through me.

Whatever I do in life, I see it as a blessing. Through the spirit of God, my work engages me with life, connects me with others and reveals my divine nature.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might. --Ecclesiastes 9:10"

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The Goodness Of Work | Our Daily Bread

The Goodness Of Work

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September 5, 2011 — by Randy Kilgore

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Genesis 1:26-31

God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” —Genesis 1:26

Bible in a year:
Psalms 146-147; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28

Some Christians grow up believing work is bad—that it’s a curse brought about by Adam and Eve’s sin. Left uncorrected, this mistaken belief can cause people to feel that what they do in their jobs every day isn’t important to God—or at the very least, isn’t as important as the work of missionaries and pastors. This is not true, as Genesis 1:26-31 teaches us.

First, we learn that God Himself works, as evidenced by the labor involved in creation and by the fact that He rested on the seventh day. Then we discover that we were made in His image (v.26) and that we were granted dominion over creation. This implies that we are to work to tend creation. Clearly, the tending of God’s creation is work—noble work, for God looked upon His labors and declared them “very good” (v.31).

It mustn’t escape our notice either that work was declared good before sin entered the picture. In other words, work didn’t result from the fall and therefore is not a curse. We see this idea again in Genesis 2, when God “took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (v.15).

Let’s approach each day’s labor—whether at a job or doing another activity to help our family—with an awareness of the dignity and nobility God granted it in creation.

Our daily work is used by God
To help us care for daily needs;
And work that’s done as to the Lord
Gives witness to our words and deeds. —D. De Haan

John 11:1-27 "Now a certain man was sick ,..." KJV - Online Bible Study

¹ Now a certain man was sick , named Lazarus, of Bethany , the town of Mary and her sister Martha. ² (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick .) ³ Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying , Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick . ⁴ When Jesus heard that, he said , This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby . ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. ⁶ When he had heard therefore that he was sick , he abode two days still in the same place where he was . ⁷ Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. ⁸ His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? ⁹ Jesus answered , Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. ¹⁰ But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth , because there is no light in him. ¹¹ These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth ; but I go , that I may awake him out of sleep . ¹² Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep , he shall do well . ¹³ Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. ¹⁴ Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead . ¹⁵ And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe ; nevertheless let us go unto him. ¹⁶ Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go , that we may die with him. ¹⁷ Then when Jesus came , he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. ¹⁸ Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: ¹⁹ And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary , to comfort them concerning their brother. ²⁰ Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming , went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. ²¹ Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died . ²² But I know , that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. ²³ Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again . ²⁴ Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. ²⁵ Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead , yet shall he live : ²⁶ And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die . Believest thou this? ²⁷ She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

2 Chronicles 10:1-19

¹ And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king . ² And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. ³ And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying , ⁴ Thy father made our yoke grievous : now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee. ⁵ And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed . ⁶ And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying , What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? ⁷ And they spake unto him, saying , If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever. ⁸ But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him. ⁹ And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying , Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us? ¹⁰ And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying , Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying , Thy father made our yoke heavy , but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. ¹¹ For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. ¹² So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade , saying , Come again to me on the third day. ¹³ And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, ¹⁴ And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying , My father made your yoke heavy , but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. ¹⁵ So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. ¹⁶ And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying , What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents. ¹⁷ But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. ¹⁸ Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died . But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. ¹⁹ And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

2 Chronicles 11:1-23

¹ And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors , to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. ² But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying , ³ Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying , ⁴ Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up , nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam. ⁵ And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. ⁶ He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, ⁷ And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam, ⁸ And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, ⁹ And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, ¹⁰ And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities. ¹¹ And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. ¹² And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong , having Judah and Benjamin on his side. ¹³ And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. ¹⁴ For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: ¹⁵ And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made . ¹⁶ And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. ¹⁷ So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong , three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon. ¹⁸ And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; ¹⁹ Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. ²⁰ And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. ²¹ And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.) ²² And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king . ²³ And he dealt wisely , and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.

Psalm 75:1-10

¹ Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks , unto thee do we give thanks : for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare . ² When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly. ³ The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved : I bear up the pillars of it. Selah. ⁴ I said unto the fools , Deal not foolishly : and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn: ⁵ Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. ⁶ For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. ⁷ But God is the judge : he putteth down one, and setteth up another. ⁸ For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red ; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out , and drink them. ⁹ But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. ¹⁰ All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off ; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted .

The King James Version is in the public domain.