Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The teaching that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you is light to carry.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NCV)

I said to myself, "Relax, because the Lord takes care of you."

Psalm 116:7 (NCV)

Ego may be open or subtle, worldly or Christianized. It may mean smashing faces and brains to wow the world of boxing. It may mean taking over enough companies to wow the corporate world of business. It may mean getting enough church members or adherents to wow the religious world. Or, individually, memorizing the most verses, visiting the most shut-ins, teaching the biggest Bible class -- whatever makes the rest say "wow!"

... Ego keeps you forever tense and dissatisfied, forever in agony lest someone else appear better, smarter, richer, more liked, more successful, more admired, more spiritual, more "blessed." ...

Ego is a terrible burden.

Jesus says, "Let me give you rest. Learn of Me I am meek!"

Ann Ortlund - Disciplines of the Heart

Daily Meditations by Pat Nordman ©

July 13

E. Stanley Jones tells about the fire extinguisher fastened underneath a certain pulpit and says the precaution was not necessary, as there was little chance a fire would break out in that particular pulpit. The poor minister's life was no contagious. One of the people at the meeting even prayed, "O God, grant that if any spark of divine grace has been kindled in this meeting, water that spark." This would be very funny if it weren't so sad that sometimes we, too, douse our own and another's little spark that flares up now and then.

The Holy Spirit lights our candle but we have projects and attitudes that quench the Light that gives a sparkle to life.

Pat Nordman ©

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions
Spurgeon's Morning for July 13	Spurgeon's Evening for July 13
"God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry?." – Jonah 4:9	"When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me." - Psalm 56:9
Anger is not always or necessarily sinful, but it has such a tendency to run wild that whenever it displays itself, we should be quick to question its character, with this enquiry, "Doest thou well to be angry?" It may be that we can answer, "YES."	He has been "for us" in many struggles; we have been summoned to encounter hosts of dangers; we have been assailed by temptations from without and within--how could we have remained unharmed to this hour if he had not been "for us"?

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July 13 Job 17:1 - 20:29

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Current Bible Question

Who fell off his chair and died when he heard that the ark had been stolen?

Previous question and Answer:

How did Joshua's army cripple their enemies horses when taking over Canaan?

They clipped their hamstrings. Joshua 11:9

Today's Devotion

But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
Job 16:5 (NIV)

Drawn

by Cathy Vinson

"a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God"

Hebrews 7:20

"Happy are the people who know the joyful sound" (Ps 89:15 KJV). Who hears it? Is it as the Pied Piper's, heard over the din of perpetual activity? It is a sound of initiating from elsewhere, through a door that opens into another world, one of the sovereign will of God.

As a summer backyard lamp draws many insects, a certain way has come from God, that can't help but draw us. The insects do not hold back or wait, they swarm to it. Do we understand what being drawn is?

What is it in the essence of this Priest that draws us near? Humble comparisons arise between the previous order and this new Priesthood "no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar...it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests" (7:13-14). I picture a newly-saved man clutched out of the meanest and basest things of earth. His new journey towards Life in Jesus invites onlookers and followers. He's been with them. His steps are so Real and authentic. To him I contrast one of solemn countenance and priestly garb whose right to the altar is based on his lineage, "became a
priest...on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry..." (7/16).

I picture a new priest freshly springing out from the wings. This country son, if you will, brings all of us with him as his entourage, with him as forerunner. I picture a newly-elected representative to Congress, one of our own native sons, who we know is true because he labored and sweat right beside us. No smell of corruption. We are drawn with him right into the
ring.

Oh, I again praise God for His relevance! He knows what stood opposed to us (Col 2:14) and had no drawing power to our soul, only dread. And He knows what meaningfully touches us and draws us.

It is the freshly-declared Son all the way! Empowered like a dynamo: "a priest...on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is DECLARED..." (7:16-17).

The truth is we not only WANT to come to Him and be with Him, if we listen, we will hear the joyful sound and realize we are already being drawn...

Send a note to Cathy Vinson , the writer of this devotion.

As a summer backyard lamp draws many insects, a certain way has come from God, that can't help but draw us. The insects do not hold back or wait, they swarm to it. Do we understand what being drawn is?

More Whispers from the Wilderness