Riverside, California, United States - Harvest Ministry-Greg Laurie Daily Devotion for Friday, 2 May 2014 "Trials of Our Own Making"

Riverside, California, United States - Harvest Ministry-Greg Laurie Daily Devotion for Friday, 2 May 2014 "Trials of Our Own Making"
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.-—James 1:13 
Sometimes we walk into trials of our own making because they are a direct result of our own selfishness or pride or greed or lust. Then when this happens and we reap the results of our sin, we get angry at God.
But James says,
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (James 1:13-15)
We forge the links of small, compromising actions, and before we know it, a mighty chain is wound around us, and we are helpless.
I used to be able to outrun my oldest son Christopher. A number of years ago, however, we were at the beach, and I picked a spot and said, "Okay, Christopher, I will race you to that spot." We took off, and much to my surprise, he outran me. I thought, How is that possible? I held this child in my hands when he was born. I watched him grow. Well, he grew up. That's what happened.
That is the way it can be with sin. We think we can handle it. We think it's so small. But James says that when sin is full-grown, it brings forth death. One of these days, that sin will grow up, and it will outrun you. It will overpower you. That's what happens.[Today's devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013]
There is no such thing as a "small" sin, and Greg Laurie explains why.
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Today's Bible Reading:
1 Chronicles 16:1 They brought in God’s ark, and set it in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in Yahweh’s name. 3 He gave to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. 4 He appointed some of the Levites to minister before Yahweh’s ark, and to commemorate, to thank, and to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel: 5 Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud; 6 with Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.
7 Then on that day David first ordained to give thanks to Yahweh, by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.
8 Oh give thanks to Yahweh.
    Call on his name.
    Make what he has done known among the peoples.
9 Sing to him.
    Sing praises to him.
    Tell of all his marvelous works.
10 Glory in his holy name.
    Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.
11 Seek Yahweh and his strength.
    Seek his face forever more.
12 Remember his marvelous works that he has done,
    his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,
13 you offspring[a] of Israel his servant,
    you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
14 He is Yahweh our God.
    His judgments are in all the earth.
15 Remember his covenant forever,
    the word which he commanded to a thousand generations,
16     the covenant which he made with Abraham,
    his oath to Isaac.
17 He confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute,
    and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,
18 saying, “I will give you the land of Canaan,
    The lot of your inheritance,”
19     when you were but a few men in number,
    yes, very few, and foreigners were in it.
20 They went about from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another people.
21 He allowed no man to do them wrong.
    Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,
22 “Don’t touch my anointed ones!
    Do my prophets no harm!”
23 Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!
    Display his salvation from day to day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
    and his marvelous works among all the peoples.
25 For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised.
    He also is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
    but Yahweh made the heavens.
27 Honor and majesty are before him.
    Strength and gladness are in his place.
28 Ascribe to Yahweh, you relatives of the peoples,
    ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength!
29 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name.
    Bring an offering, and come before him.
    Worship Yahweh in holy array.
30 Tremble before him, all the earth.
    The world also is established that it can’t be moved.
31 Let the heavens be glad,
    and let the earth rejoice!
    Let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns!”
32 Let the sea roar, and its fullness!
    Let the field exult, and all that is in it!
33 Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before Yahweh,
    for he comes to judge the earth.
34 Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,
    for his loving kindness endures forever.
35 Say, “Save us, God of our salvation!
    Gather us together and deliver us from the nations,
    to give thanks to your holy name,
    to triumph in your praise.”
36 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting even to everlasting.
All the people said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh.
37 So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required; 38 and Obed-Edom with their brothers, sixty-eight; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers; 39 and Zadok the priest, and his brothers the priests, before Yahweh’s tabernacle in the high place that was at Gibeon, 40 to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in Yahweh’s law, which he commanded to Israel; 41 and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to Yahweh, because his loving kindness endures forever; 42 and with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate. 43 All the people departed, each man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Chronicles 16:13 or, seed
Psalm 106:1 Praise Yahweh!
    Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,
    for his loving kindness endures forever.
2 Who can utter the mighty acts of Yahweh,
    or fully declare all his praise?
3 Blessed are those who keep justice.
    Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.
4 Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people.
    Visit me with your salvation,
5 that I may see the prosperity of your chosen,
    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
    that I may glory with your inheritance.
6 We have sinned with our fathers.
    We have committed iniquity.
    We have done wickedly.
7 Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt.
    They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses,
    but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.
8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake,
    that he might make his mighty power known.
9 He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up;
    so he led them through the depths, as through a desert.
10 He saved them from the hand of him who hated them,
    and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11 The waters covered their adversaries.
    There was not one of them left.
12 Then they believed his words.
    They sang his praise.
13 They soon forgot his works.
    They didn’t wait for his counsel,
14     but gave in to craving in the desert,
    and tested God in the wasteland.
15 He gave them their request,
    but sent leanness into their soul.
16 They envied Moses also in the camp,
    and Aaron, Yahweh’s saint.
17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
    and covered the company of Abiram.
18 A fire was kindled in their company.
    The flame burned up the wicked.
19 They made a calf in Horeb,
    and worshiped a molten image.
20 Thus they exchanged their glory
    for an image of a bull that eats grass.
21 They forgot God, their Savior,
    who had done great things in Egypt,
22     Wondrous works in the land of Ham,
    and awesome things by the Red Sea.
23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them,
    had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach,
    to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them.
24 Yes, they despised the pleasant land.
    They didn’t believe his word,
25     but murmured in their tents,
    and didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice.
26 Therefore he swore to them
    that he would overthrow them in the wilderness,
27     that he would overthrow their offspring[a] among the nations,
    and scatter them in the lands.
28 They joined themselves also to Baal Peor,
    and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds.
    The plague broke in on them.
30 Then Phinehas stood up, and executed judgment,
    so the plague was stopped.
31 That was credited to him for righteousness,
    for all generations to come.
32 They angered him also at the waters of Meribah,
    so that Moses was troubled for their sakes;
33 because they were rebellious against his spirit,
    he spoke rashly with his lips.
34 They didn’t destroy the peoples,
    as Yahweh commanded them,
35     but mixed themselves with the nations,
    and learned their works.
36 They served their idols,
    which became a snare to them.
37 Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
38     They shed innocent blood,
    even the blood of their sons and of their daughters,
    whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.
    The land was polluted with blood.
39 Thus were they defiled with their works,
    and prostituted themselves in their deeds.
40 Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against his people.
    He abhorred his inheritance.
41 He gave them into the hand of the nations.
    Those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies also oppressed them.
    They were brought into subjection under their hand.
43 Many times he delivered them,
    but they were rebellious in their counsel,
    and were brought low in their iniquity.
44 Nevertheless he regarded their distress,
    when he heard their cry.
45 He remembered for them his covenant,
    and repented according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
46 He made them also to be pitied
    by all those who carried them captive.
47 Save us, Yahweh, our God,
    gather us from among the nations,
    to give thanks to your holy name,
    to triumph in your praise!
48 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting even to everlasting!
Let all the people say, “Amen.”
Praise Yah!
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 106:27 or, seed
Matthew 19:1 When Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there. 3 Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
4 He answered, “Haven’t you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female,[a] 5 and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall join to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?’[b] 6 So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.”
7 They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a bill of divorce, and divorce her?”
8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so. 9 I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.”
10 His disciples said to him, “If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.”
11 But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.”
13 Then little children were brought to him, that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.” 15 He laid his hands on them, and departed from there.
16 Behold, one came to him and said, “Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”
17 He said to him, “Why do you call me good?[c] No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18 He said to him, “Which ones?”
Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal.’ ‘You shall not offer false testimony.’ 19 ‘Honor your father and mother.’[d] And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”[e]
20 The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions. 23 Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”
25 When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 Then Peter answered, “Behold, we have left everything, and followed you. What then will we have?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many will be last who are first; and first who are last.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 19:4 Genesis 1:27
b. Matthew 19:5 Genesis 2:24
c. Matthew 19:17 So MT and TR. NU reads “Why do you ask me about what is good?”
d. Matthew 19:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20
e. Matthew 19:19 Leviticus 19:18
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Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie 
P.O. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514-4000
Phone: 1(800)821-3300