Today's Soul Food — April 12

 

GOLDEN WORDS



For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Malachi 3:6  KJV  


For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

Malachi 3:6  NASB


"I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.  

 Malachi 3:6  NIV

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There is no sense in getting into a dither just because we have split the atom and are photographing Mars. The Bible is still God's word and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Nothing important has changed.

Vance Havner

 

Daily Meditations by  Pat Nordman ©

 


April 12

"My master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden...of having avenged himself" 1 Samuel 25:31.

We don't need to avenge ourselves; God will do it for us. Here we have an instance of a wise and holy lady who knew how to gently warn a great man that he would be illadvised to retaliate in kind. Here Abigail exhibits foresight so that David may be spared the painful memories that hindsight would bring to a man of his moral sensitivity.

There are times in all our lives when a prevailing grace becomes a preventing grace; when a friend will remind us that it isn't our nature to say or do what, in a momentary indignation, we would so like to say or do. The wisdom is in recognizing what our friend has done for us. David did; he realized what this perceptive wife of Nabal did for him and he exclaimed, "Praise be to the Lord, the God is Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment..." (V.32,33).

Abigail tenderly cut to the quick of the problem while David was impressionable.

Had David committed the sin of getting even, he no doubt would have been pardoned, for "...her husband...was surly and mean in his dealings" (V.3). Abigail stated, "He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him" V.17b. But the question arises: which is better, a pardoned or a prevented sin? In David's case of prevented sin, a family was spared, as well as David's conscience and future reputation.

The consequences for others and ourselves is immeasurable and incomprehensible. The only law we can rely on are God's laws when dealing with our feelings about what has happened to us: "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9) and "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).

Pat Nordman ©

 

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions

Spurgeon's Morning for April 11

Spurgeon's Evening for April 11

birds in winter

  

"The king's garden."

-  Nehemiah 3:15
 

"My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels."

-  Psalm 22:14

Deep depression of spirit is the most grievous of all trials; all besides is as nothing.

Behold how dragons and demons dwell on this fair earth, which once was a garden of delights.


   

 

 

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 April 12  Ruth 1:1 - 4:22

365 days of Bible Readings Linked to Bible Gaitway TM 


Today's Bible Question ?



Nicodemus put how many pounds of myrrh and aloes on the body of Jesus?
 

Previous question and Answer:

What Assyrian king attacked the Philistines, leading Isaiah to walk around naked for three years?

Sargon (Isaiah 20)

 


 


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Nothing

My children, I came to live with you. 
I gave up my crown and throe to come be with you. 
For 33 years I spoke truth and taught my ways. 
Though I spoke the truth with love . . . 
Still you hear what you wanted. 
I spoke of love and grace, 
You hear works and striving. 
Does it mean nothing to you? 

My children, I died for you. 
For a long way I carried your sin. 
I wore the crown of suffering. 
You nailed Me to your cross. 
For six hours I hung there praying for you. 
I prayed for God to take My life. 
To take it as payment for your debts. 
I breathed My last in love. 
Does it mean nothing? 

My children, I stand before you. 
My hands outstretched in love. 
Look, see My hands and My feet. 
The wounds that speak of sacrifice. 
These wounds shed blood mixed with tears. 
My children I love you! 
Does it mean nothing? 

My children, you say it means everything. 
You stand and sing My praises. 
You claim My cross for your cause. 
Yet your actions glorify Me not. 
Your lips speak My Words. 
Yet your heart plays different chords. 

Does it mean nothing? 

Does it mean nothing to you? 

DOES IT MEAN NOTHING? 
DOES IT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU? 

By Michel J. Willard 

"Christmas is the Promise, and Easter is the Proof." 

 

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Today's  Devotion
 

Eager to Find Fault

 

"The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely. . ."

 Luke 6:7 (Mark 3:2)

". . .He was being carefully watched"

 Luke 14:1 

"They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said. . ." 

Luke 20:20b. 
For they were eager to find some charge to bring against him" Luke 6:7 TLB. They were eager. What a way to spend one's time and enthusiasm! The Pharisees appointed themselves vigilantes over the Anointed One. They were ever on the watch for an apparent breach of their conventional rules. The Pharisee watches and sees that which most don't bother to notice. He is cunning and diligent, and doesn't let pass what is a breaking of his law. Never would it dawn on him that he himself is breaking the Sabbath and every other day's law of kindness by his cherishing of such hostility. 

And to think that the Pharisee used the cloak of hospitality for his peculiar brand of hostility (Luke 14:1)! To add to the viciousness of it, he laid a trap to ensnare Jesus: "There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy." (V.2) The miracle here was no more spectacular than others Jesus had performed; what is unusual here is the contrast of the ever-present graciousness of Jesus and the surly vindictiveness of these keepers of the all-important Law. In Matthew 23 Jesus pronounced one of several woes: "Woe to you, teachers of the law. . .woe. . .woe. . .woe. . . You give a tenth of your spices. . .But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness" Matthew 23:23.

The wonder of this story is that Jesus accepted the invitation for He knew their hearts. But "He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" Matthew 5:45. He loves the Pharisee, too, which means He loves us.

© Pat Nordman

The Pharisee watches and sees that which most don't bother to notice. He is cunning and diligent, and doesn't let pass what is a breaking of his law.

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