But God gives us even more grace, as the scripture says, "God is against the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.

James 4:6 (NCV)

A prison of pride is filled with self-made men and women determined to pull themselves up with their own bootstraps even if they land on their rear ends. It doesn't matter what they did or to whom they did it or where they will end up; it only matters that "I did it my way."

— Max Lucado

Daily Meditations by Pat Nordman ©

July 16

"He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish...He will not be disheartened...until He has established justice in the earth..." (Isaiah 42:24 NAS).

A true man of God is tender and quiet and persevering. He does not crush the nearly wilted spirit of wife or son or daughter or friend or foe. He is there to uplift hearts for it is useless to say it if he won't do it. A day will come when it is too little and much too late.

Pat Nordman ©

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions
Spurgeon's Morning for July 16	Spurgeon's Evening for July 16
"They gathered manna every morning." – Exodus 16:21	"Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time is come. For thy servants rake pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof." - Psalm 102:13, 14
Never try to live on the old manna, nor seek to find help in Egypt. All must come from Jesus, or thou art undone for ever. Old anointings will not suffice to impart unction to thy spirit; thine head must have fresh oil poured upon it from the golden horn of the sanctuary, or it will cease from its glory	A selfish man in trouble is exceedingly hard to comfort, because the springs of his comfort entirely within himself, and when he is sad all his springs are dry. But a large-hearted man full of Christian philanthropy, has other springs from which to supply himself with comfort beside those which lie within.

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July 16 Job 30:1 - 33:33

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Current Bible Question

The Jews sent priests from Jerusalem to ask John if he was what prophet?

Previous question and Answer:

What king did Bigthan and Teresh plan to assassinate?

Xerxes — Ester 2:21

Today's Devotion

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

Running from the Parent

by Cathy Vinson

One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch them and bless them, but the disciples told them not to bother him. Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God."

(Luke 18:15-17 NLV)

Don't we derive pleasure from watching a toddler's discovery that his wobbly, jerky legs can actually carry him away from this pursuing parents? What a beam spreads across his face as the realization dawns that he can get away! The initial discovery is amusing to all.

Aren't we delighted with the child, the child of joy? His very presence in our midst teaches us how to receive the Kingdom. Yet even in Jesus' experience, the adult tried to hinder the child's coming to Him (Luke 18:15-17). A valuable principle exists here.

Consider the child in you who longs toward the simplicity of God's joy, a joy that translates into inner strength..."the joy of the Lord is my strength" (Neh 8:10). There also dwells the adult in us who tries to hinder the child from coming, from casting off his cares, from running, skipping in liberty, and most sadly, from beholding the continual joy of the Lord "...For I tell you that their (the children's) angels in heaven always see the FACE of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 18:10).

Paul knew the inner hinderer: "For in my inner being I DELIGHT in God's law, but I see another law at work...What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:22,24) In the same way Jesus intervened to gather to Himself the children from the well-meaning disciples, so it is only He who will deliver us.

Rick Joiner has prophetically spoken of our day as a time of learning "how to MAINTAIN the joy of the Lord. The Lord is pouring out a special anointing of joy to help deliver us from our bondage." Run with it! Run from the adult who would hinder such a one from entering the Kingdom that "belongs to such as these." "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" (Luke 18:17).

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

... Don't we derive pleasure from watching a toddler's discovery that his wobbly, jerky legs can actually carry him away from this pursuing parents? What a beam spreads across his face as the realization dawns that he can get away!

More Whispers from the Wilderness