Daily Devotions with Greg Laurie – Tuesday,
4 February 2014 – “Empty Net Syndrome”
Simon Peter said, "I'm going
fishing." "We'll come, too," they all said. So they went out in
the boat, but they caught nothing all night.-—John 21:3
It was déjà vu time for the disciples.
They had been fishing all night on the Sea of Galilee and hadn't caught
anything. The Lord had risen and had already appeared to some of the disciples.
There were no clear marching orders, so they thought they would go back to what
they knew how to do: fish.
Now it was early in the morning, probably
still dark. They saw a figure standing on the shore. He called out,
"Fellows, have you caught any fish?" (John 21:5, NLT).
Throughout the Bible, God often asked
probing questions when He wanted a confession. In the same way, Jesus was
asking His disciples, "Did you catch anything? Have you been successful?
Have things gone the way you had hoped they would go? Are you satisfied?"
Why did Jesus want them to admit their
failure? So He could bring them to the place where they needed to be.
When they cast the net on the right side
of the boat as Jesus told them to, their net became so heavy with fish that
they couldn't pull it in. The Lord was teaching the disciples an important
lesson: Failure often can be the doorway to real success.
We need to come to that point in our
lives as well. We need to come and say, "Lord, I am not satisfied with the
way my life is going. I am tired of doing it my way. I want to do it Your
way." If you will come to God like that, He will extend His forgiveness to
you. Then He will take your life and transform it in ways you couldn't imagine.
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Today’s Reading:
Exodus 37: Making the Ark of the Covenant
1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; it
was two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half
high. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of
gold around it. 3 He cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two
rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. 4 He made poles of
acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, 5 and put the poles into the rings on
the sides of the ark, to carry the ark. 6 He made a mercy seat[a] of pure gold;
two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its width. 7 He
made two cherubim of hammered gold; at the two ends of the mercy seat[b] he
made them, 8 one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end; of one
piece with the mercy seat[c] he made the cherubim at its two ends. 9 The
cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat[d] with
their wings. They faced one another; the faces of the cherubim were turned
toward the mercy seat.[e]
Making the Table for the Bread of the
Presence
10 He also made the table of acacia wood,
two cubits long, one cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. 11 He overlaid it
with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. 12 He made around it a
rim a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim. 13 He cast
for it four rings of gold, and fastened the rings to the four corners at its
four legs. 14 The rings that held the poles used for carrying the table were
close to the rim. 15 He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and
overlaid them with gold. 16 And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to
be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons
with which to pour drink offerings.
Making the Lampstand
17 He also made the lampstand of pure
gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand were made of hammered work; its
cups, its calyxes, and its petals were of one piece with it. 18 There were six
branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one
side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 19
three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one
branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals,
on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20 On
the lampstand itself there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each
with its calyxes and petals. 21 There was a calyx of one piece with it under
the first pair of branches, a calyx of one piece with it under the next pair of
branches, and a calyx of one piece with it under the last pair of branches. 22
Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it, the whole of it one
hammered piece of pure gold. 23 He made its seven lamps and its snuffers and
its trays of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its utensils of a talent of pure
gold.
Making the Altar of Incense
25 He made the altar of incense of acacia
wood, one cubit long, and one cubit wide; it was square, and was two cubits
high; its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold,
its top, and its sides all around, and its horns; and he made for it a molding
of gold all around, 27 and made two golden rings for it under its molding, on
two opposite sides of it, to hold the poles with which to carry it. 28 And he
made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
Making the Anointing Oil and the Incense
29 He made the holy anointing oil also,
and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.
Making the Altar of Burnt Offering
38: He made the altar of burnt offering
also of acacia wood; it was five cubits long, and five cubits wide; it was
square, and three cubits high. 2 He made horns for it on its four corners; its
horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. 3 He made all
the utensils of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and
the firepans: all its utensils he made of bronze. 4 He made for the altar a
grating, a network of bronze, under its ledge, extending halfway down. 5 He
cast four rings on the four corners of the bronze grating to hold the poles; 6
he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze. 7 And he put
the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar, to carry it with them;
he made it hollow, with boards.
8 He made the basin of bronze with its
stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to
the tent of meeting.
Making the Court of the Tabernacle
9 He made the court; for the south side
the hangings of the court were of fine twisted linen, one hundred cubits long;
10 its twenty pillars and their twenty bases were of bronze, but the hooks of
the pillars and their bands were of silver. 11 For the north side there were
hangings one hundred cubits long; its twenty pillars and their twenty bases
were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver. 12
For the west side there were hangings fifty cubits long, with ten pillars and
ten bases; the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver. 13 And for
the front to the east, fifty cubits. 14 The hangings for one side of the gate
were fifteen cubits, with three pillars and three bases. 15 And so for the
other side; on each side of the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen
cubits, with three pillars and three bases. 16 All the hangings around the
court were of fine twisted linen. 17 The bases for the pillars were of bronze,
but the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver; the overlaying of
their capitals was also of silver, and all the pillars of the court were banded
with silver. 18 The screen for the entrance to the court was embroidered with
needlework in blue, purple, and crimson yarns and fine twisted linen. It was
twenty cubits long and, along the width of it, five cubits high, corresponding
to the hangings of the court. 19 There were four pillars; their four bases were
of bronze, their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals and
their bands of silver. 20 All the pegs for the tabernacle and for the court all
around were of bronze.
Materials of the Tabernacle
21 These are the records of the
tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant,[f] which were drawn up at the
commandment of Moses, the work of the Levites being under the direction of
Ithamar son of the priest Aaron. 22 Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe
of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses; 23 and with him was Oholiab
son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, engraver, designer, and embroiderer in
blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen.
24 All the gold that was used for the
work, in all the construction of the sanctuary, the gold from the offering, was
twenty-nine talents and seven hundred thirty shekels, measured by the sanctuary
shekel. 25 The silver from those of the congregation who were counted was one
hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels, measured
by the sanctuary shekel; 26 a beka a head (that is, half a shekel, measured by
the sanctuary shekel), for everyone who was counted in the census, from twenty
years old and upward, for six hundred three thousand, five hundred fifty men.
27 The hundred talents of silver were for casting the bases of the sanctuary,
and the bases of the curtain; one hundred bases for the hundred talents, a
talent for a base. 28 Of the thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels he
made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their capitals and made bands for
them. 29 The bronze that was contributed was seventy talents, and two thousand
four hundred shekels; 30 with it he made the bases for the entrance of the tent
of meeting, the bronze altar and the bronze grating for it and all the utensils
of the altar, 31 the bases all around the court, and the bases of the gate of
the court, all the pegs of the tabernacle, and all the pegs around the court.
Footnotes:
a. Exodus 37:6 Or a cover
b. Exodus 37:7 Or the cover
c. Exodus 37:8 Or the cover
d. Exodus 37:9 Or the cover
e. Exodus 37:9 Or the cover
f. Exodus 38:21 Or treaty, or testimony;
Heb eduth
Psalm 19: God’s Glory in Creation and the
Law
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1 The heavens are telling the glory of
God;
and the firmament[a] proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there
words;
their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice[b] goes out through all
the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens[c] he has set a tent for
the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from
his wedding canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the
heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them;
and nothing is hid from its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant
warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can detect their errors?
Clear me from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from the
insolent;[d]
do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 19:1 Or dome
b. Psalm 19:4 Gk Jerome Compare Syr: Heb
line
c. Psalm 19:4 Heb In them
d. Psalm 19:13 Or from proud thoughts
Acts 11: Peter’s Report to the Church at
Jerusalem
1 Now the apostles and the believers[a]
who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers[b] criticized
him, 3 saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” 4 Then
Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, 5 “I was in the city
of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a
large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it
came close to me. 6 As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts
of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me,
‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I replied, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing
profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But a second time the voice
answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ 10
This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. 11 At
that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house
where we were. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a
distinction between them and us.[c] These six brothers also accompanied me, and
we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in
his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; 14
he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be
saved.’ 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it
had upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he
had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy
Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we
believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” 18 When
they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God
has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”
The Church in Antioch
19 Now those who were scattered because
of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia,
Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews. 20 But
among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke
to the Hellenists[d] also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. 21 The hand of the Lord
was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. 22
News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent
Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and
he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion; 24
for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many
people were brought to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for
Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that
for an entire year they met with[e] the church and taught a great many people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”
27 At that time prophets came down from
Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the
Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took
place during the reign of Claudius. 29 The disciples determined that according
to their ability, each would send relief to the believers[f] living in Judea;
30 this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
Footnotes:
a. Acts 11:1 Gk brothers
b. Acts 11:2 Gk lacks believers
c. Acts 11:12 Or not to hesitate
d. Acts 11:20 Other ancient authorities
read Greeks
e. Acts 11:26 Or were guests of
f. Acts 11:29 Gk brothers
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Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie
P.O. Box 4000
Riverside, CA 92514-4000 United States
Phone: 1(800)821-3300
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