Daily Treasure

“After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias;and on this wise showed he himself.  There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee,and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a-fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee.  They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.  But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on  the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat?  They answered him, No.  And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.  They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes” (John 21:1-6).

Our study for July is entitled “Show.”  This week we will look at the grace we came to know and understand better last month through the example of Peter’s life. As our introduction states “He not only found and received grace, but he also championed grace (often at great risk) and challenged others to do the same.” This should help us show grace to others as we complete the month’s study.

However, first we have to be able to “show grace to ourselves.”  If you’ve ever done a study of the life of Peter, you find a portrait of God’s grace. He was often in more hot water than a tea bag.

In spite of our personalities and tendencies to fail, God doesn’t give up on us.  We see in John 21 that Christ didn’t give up on Peter. We tend to share Peter’s problem—guilt and inability to show grace to ourselves.

As we look at today’s verses, we see a guilt-ridden Peter with six other disciples. It was obvious they were feeling down. Peter decides to go fishing. Why not?  That had been their livelihood before they were called to be disciples.  Peter had to feel like such a loser when they fished all night and caught nothing.  Come morning they saw someone on the shore.  At first they didn’t recognize that it was Jesus.  He called out to the disciples and  wanted to help them.  (Sounds like a loving father, giving His “children” good advice.)  They heeded and caught a multitude of fish.  Tomorrow we will continue our study of John 21.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that like the disciples, you will listen to your Loving Father’s good words of instruction today. Pray also for these FWBIM missionaries now returning to the States: Matt and Cristina Price,  Tim and Lydia Awtrey, Cathy Crawford,  Rusty and Brenda Carney, Anthony and Lea Edgmon, and Donnie and Ruth McDonald.

“So from the time they left Mount Sinai, the Israelites wore no more jewelry”  (Exodus 33:6 NLT).

Why no jewelry?  They exchanged looking good for God’s presence.

You see, God had had it up to here with His children.  Moaning, bickering, disobeying and complaining.  He had told them He wouldn’t go with them until He saw some changes.

To remind themselves of the changes they vowed to make, they left their baubles in their jewelry boxes.

Would you choose God over looking good?

Do you? Will you stand out in a crowd of your peers, for the Lord? Will you refuse to do certain, world-okayed, things because they’re not right?  Even if everyone else is doing it?
Will you look different for the Lord?

Would you speak differently? Would you spend, live, schedule your life differently just to have His presence with you continually? Would you completely change your life and the life of your kids to obey Him?

Jewelry seems like such a simple reminder.Living it out? That’s tough some days.

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Sunday school teachers today, asking God to fill their heart and mind with His truth, allowing them to share from the overflow.

“I am not one of those who treats the grace of God as meaningless…”  (Galatians 2:21 NLT).

Of course, I’m not.  Especially when it is in reference to the grace I so desperately need and depend on. But do I treat it as meaningless when I see someone else in need of it? When I determine in my head and heart who might deserve it? When I dictate who I will or won’t share it with based on biases, preferences or comfort?

God’s grace is the most valuable asset we have this side of eternity.  How are we treating it?

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that four English students in Central Asia might accept the truth of the gospel.

“But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.  And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1:25).

Hopefully, this week’s devotionals have helped you better understand the reliability of God’s Word. It “endureth for ever.”  We trust it for the grace we receive at salvation.  We continue to trust the Word as we experience His grace.  We will keep trusting it because we KNOW grace.

“No Other Word for Grace”

Red can’t explain the beauty of a rose,
White can’t tell the magic in the air when it snows;
Marvellous can’t half convey the grace of the King,
The only word for grace is amazing.

There’s no other word for grace but amazing,
No other explanation will do;
Unmerited favor, the song that I sing,
No other word for grace but amazing.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Lydie Teague as she prepares to speak in the worship service at the WNAC Convention, July 23, in Tampa, Florida.

“Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteous.   But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet” (2 Peter 2:15-16).

The NIV Study Biblehas this to say about today’s key verses: “Balaam was bent on cursing Israel, though God had forbidden it. He wanted the money Balak offered him.  Similarly these false teachers apparently were guilty of attempting to extract money from naïve listeners.  For a donkey to rebuke the prophet’s madness reflects not only on the foolishness of Balaam but also on that of  the false teachers of Peter’s day.”  We may not understand why God used a donkey to rebuke a greedy Balaam, but when God is in control, He will use whatever means to carry out His Will.  Remember how Nebuchadnezzar ate grass like oxen.  Proverbs 16:18a states “Pride goeth before destruction…”  The account of the talking donkey should keep us humble.  Everything mentioned in the entire Bible is there for a reason. If you don’t believe this, look up 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and maybe you will change your mind.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Darren and a THP team working in Mongolia.

“And turning the cities Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conservation of the wicked. (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds “ (2 Peter 2:6-8).

Abraham pleaded with God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah. Those cities were so wicked he couldn’t  even find ten righteous to keep them from being destroyed.  Our nation is on a downward spiral.  Sin is running rampant just as it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Will we learn from these cities?  Or will a holy God have to bring judgment upon our land for its sin? The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is not a fable. It is “an example unto those that after should live ungodly.”

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for daily devotional writer Sue Winchester as she faces some major family health issues.

“And spared not the old world,  but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness,bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly” (1 Peter 2:5).

As we read the account of the flood, we see more than a story.  It was God’s judgment against sin. God had made provision so sinful people could have been spared but they would not repent. Noah preached and built an ark. People laughed because at that point there had been no rain on the earth. Sadly, only Noah and his family went into the ark and God shut the door.

God sent His Son to die as the supreme sacrifice for our sins. He provided a way that we could be saved from our sins. Faith in God and repentance of sin is being preached by men of God. In 2 Peter 3:9 we read ”The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

God put a rainbow in the sky as a promise He won’t destroy the world again by water. People will mock as in the days of Noah but the world will one day be destroyed by fire. So while there is still time, people need to heed the warnings and repent. Just as the flood was God’s judgment against sin, fire will be sent in this age to judge sin. You may think a loving God would not be so harsh. Dear friend, you can’t afford to be wrong.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for the Donnie and Susan Burke family, ministering in Castle Rock, Colorado.