Missionary Renegade: The Harvest Ministry Daily Devotion by Greg Laurie from The Harvest Church of Riverside, California, United States for Saturday, May 23, 2015 "God Is Looking for a Few Good Men (And Women!)"

Saturday, May 23, 2015

The Harvest Ministry Daily Devotion by Greg Laurie from The Harvest Church of Riverside, California, United States for Saturday, May 23, 2015 "God Is Looking for a Few Good Men (And Women!)"

"I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'"[Isaiah 6:8]

If you were God, and you wanted to touch the world, how would you go about it?

You could raise up an army of mighty angels, who would gladly do your bidding. Or you could just roll back the heavens and speak audibly to Planet Earth and say something like, "Hello everyone. I'm God and you're not, and I want you to believe in me, now!"

But no, that is not how the Lord has decided to impact our planet. He chooses to use people—and flawed people at that.

When Jesus came to this earth, He chose 12 men: Peter, James, John, Matthew, Andrew, Thomas . . . we know their names well. But do we really know them? It's a good idea to learn what we can about them, because they turned their world upside down.

They didn't have modern technology to help them. No iPhones, iPads, Internet, texting, or e-mailing. They didn't even have fax machines (which once were very high-tech). No MP3s, DVDs, CDs, cassettes, or even 8-tracks. Not even the printed page.

No, Thomas did not tweet, Peter did not have a Facebook page, and Andrew did not Instagram.

It was all done by "word of mouth," person to person. Yet these hand-picked disciples, in a relatively short amount of time, shook the ancient world.

You know what? God is still looking for men and women to shake the world today.

Will you make yourself available?

Share this today:

The Lord chooses to use people to impact our planet--and flawed people at that. Will you make yourself available?

Weekend Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 6:1 Shlomo said, “Adonai said he would live in thick darkness. 2 But I have built you a magnificent house, a place where you can live forever.”

3 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole community of Isra’el. The whole community of Isra’el stood 4 as he said, “Blessed be Adonai, the God of Isra’el, who spoke to my father David with his mouth and fulfilled his promise with his hand. He said, 5 ‘Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I chose no city from any of the tribes of Isra’el to build a house, so that my name might be there; nor did I choose anyone to be the leader of my people Isra’el. 6 But now I have chosen Yerushalayim, so that my name can be there; and I have chosen David to be over my people Isra’el.’ 7 It was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Adonai the God of Isra’el; 8 but Adonai said to David my father, ‘Although it was in your heart to build a house for my name, and you did well that it was in your heart, 9 nevertheless you will not build the house. Rather, you will father a son, and it will be he who will build the house for my name.’ 10 Now Adonai has fulfilled this spoken word of his; for I have succeeded my father and sit on the throne of Isra’el, as Adonai promised; and I have built the house for the name of Adonai the God of Isra’el. 11 And there I have placed the ark containing the covenant of Adonai, which he made with the people of Isra’el.”

12 Then he stood before the altar of Adonai in the presence of the whole community of Isra’el, spread out his hands — 13 for Shlomo had made a bronze platform eight-and-three quarters feet long, eight-and-three-quarters feet wide and five-and-a-quarter feet high and had set it up in the middle of the courtyard. He stood on it, then got down on his knees before the whole community, spread out his hands toward heaven, 14 and said, “Adonai, God of Isra’el, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth. You keep covenant with your servants and show them grace, provided they live in your presence with all their heart. 15 You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father; you spoke with your mouth and fulfilled it with your hand; so it is today. 16 Now therefore, Adonai, God of Isra’el, keep what you promised to your servant David, my father, when you said, ‘You will never lack a man in my presence to sit on the throne of Isra’el, if only your children are careful about what they do, so that they live by my Torah, just as you have lived in my presence.’ 17 Now therefore, Adonai, God of Isra’el, please let your word, which you spoke to your servant David, my father, be confirmed.

18 “But can God actually live with human beings on the earth? Why, heaven itself, even the heaven of heavens, cannot contain you; so how much less this house I have built? 19 Even so, Adonai my God, pay attention to your servant’s prayer and plea, listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying before you, 20 that your eyes will be open toward this house day and night — toward the place where you said you would put your name — to listen to the prayer your servant will pray toward this place. 21 Yes, listen to the pleas of your servant, and also those of your people Isra’el when they pray toward this place. Hear from where you live, from heaven; and when you hear, forgive!

22 “If a person sins against a fellow member of the community, and he is made to swear under oath, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house; 23 then hear from heaven, act and judge your servants, paying back the wicked, so that his way of life devolves on his own head, and vindicating the one who is right, giving him what his righteousness deserves.

24 “If your people Isra’el sin against you and in consequence are defeated by an enemy; then if they turn back to you, acknowledge your name, and pray and make their plea to you in this house, 25 hear from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Isra’el, and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.

26 “When they sin against you, and in consequence the sky is shut, so that there is no rain; then if they pray toward this place, acknowledge your name and turn from their sin when you have brought them low; 27 hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Isra’el — since you keep teaching them the good way by which they should live — and send down rain on your land, which you have given your people as their inheritance.

28 “If there is famine in the land, or blight, windstorm, mildew, locusts or shearer-worms; or if their enemies besiege them in any of their cities — no matter what kind of plague or sickness it is; 29 then, regardless of what prayer or plea anyone among all your people Isra’el makes — for each individual will know his own plague and his own pain — and the person spreads out his hands toward this house; 30 then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive; also, since you know what is in each one’s heart, give each person what his conduct deserves (because you, and only you, know human hearts), 31 so that they will fear you and therefore live according to your ways throughout the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.

32 “Also the foreigner who does not belong to your people Isra’el — when he comes from a distant country because of your great reputation, your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house; 33 then hear from heaven, from where you live; and act in accordance with everything about which the foreigner is calling to you; so that all the peoples of the earth will know your name and fear you, as does your people Isra’el, and so that they will know that this house which I have built bears your name.

34 “If your people go out to fight their enemies, no matter by which way you send them, and they pray to you toward the city you chose and the house I built for your name; 35 then, from heaven, hear their prayer and plea, and uphold their cause.

36 “If they sin against you — for there is no one who doesn’t sin — and you are angry with them and hand them over to the enemy, so that they carry them off captive to a land far away or nearby; 37 then, if they come to their senses in the land where they have been carried away captive, turn back and make their plea to you in the land where they are being held captive, saying, ‘We sinned, we acted wrongly, we behaved wickedly,’ 38 if, in the land where they were brought and are being held captive, they return to you with all their heart and being and pray to you toward their own land, which you gave to their ancestors, toward the city you chose and toward the house I have built for your name; 39 then, from heaven, from where you live, hear their prayer and pleas, uphold their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.

40 “Now, my God, please, let your eyes be open, and let your ears pay attention to the prayer being made in this place.

41 “Now go up, Adonai, God, to your place of rest,

you and the ark through which you give strength.

“May your cohanim, Adonai, God, be clothed with salvation;

may those loyal to you take joy in good.

42 “Adonai, God, don’t turn away the face of your anointed one;

remember the mercies of your servant David.”

7:1 When Shlomo had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of Adonai filled the house, 2 so that the cohanim could not enter the house of Adonai; because the glory of Adonai filled Adonai’s house. 3 All the people of Isra’el saw when the fire came down, and the glory of Adonai was on the house; they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the flooring; prostrating themselves, they gave thanks to Adonai, “for he is good, for his grace continues forever.”

4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before Adonai. 5 King Shlomo offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. Thus the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6 The cohanim stood at their appointed stations, while the L’vi’im used the instruments that David the king had provided for making music to Adonai in order to “give thanks to Adonai, for his grace continues forever,” by means of the praises David had composed. Opposite them the cohanim sounded trumpets; and all Isra’el stood up. 7 Shlomo also consecrated the center of the courtyard in front of the house of Adonai; because he had to offer the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings there. For the bronze altar which Shlomo had made could not receive the burnt offering, the grain offering and the fat. 8 So Shlomo celebrated the festival at that time for seven days, together with all Isra’el, an enormous gathering; [they had come all the way] from the entrance of Hamat to the Vadi [of Egypt]. 9 On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, having observed the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival for seven days. 10 Then, on the twenty-third day of the seventh month, he sent the people away to their tents full of joy and glad of heart for all the goodness Adonai had shown to David, to Shlomo and to Isra’el his people.

11 Thus Shlomo finished the house of Adonai and the royal palace. Everything that Shlomo had set his heart on making in the house of Adonai and in his own palace he accomplished successfully.

12 Adonai appeared to Shlomo by night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 If I shut up the sky, so that there is no rain; or if I order locusts to devour the land; or if I send an epidemic of sickness among my people; 14 then, if my people, who bear my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears will pay attention to the prayer made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house, so that my name can be there forever; my eyes and heart will always be there. 17 As for you, if you will live in my presence, as did David your father, doing everything I have ordered you to do, and keeping my laws and rulings; 18 then I will establish the throne of your rulership, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, ‘You will never lack a man to be ruler in Isra’el.’ 19 But if you turn away and abandon my regulations and mitzvot which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, worshipping them; 20 then I will pull them up by the roots out of the land I have given them. This house, which I consecrated for my name, I will eject from my sight; and I will make it an example to avoid and an object of scorn among all peoples. 21 This house, now so exalted — everyone passing by will be shocked at the sight of it and will ask, ‘Why has Adonai done this to this land and to this house?’ 22 But the answer will be, ‘It’s because they abandoned Adonai the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and took hold of other gods, worshipping and serving them; this is why [Adonai] brought all these calamities on them.’”

Psalm 135: Halleluyah!

(1) Give praise to the name of Adonai!

Servants of Adonai, give praise!

2 You who stand in the house of Adonai,

in the courtyards of the house of our God,

3 praise Yah, for Adonai is good;

sing to his name, because it is pleasant.

4 For Yah chose Ya‘akov for himself,

Isra’el as his own unique treasure.

5 I know that Adonai is great,

that our Lord is above all gods.

6 Adonai does whatever pleases him,

in heaven, on earth, in the seas, in all the depths.

7 He raises clouds from the ends of the earth,

he makes the lightning flash in the rain

and brings the wind out from his storehouses.

8 He struck down Egypt’s firstborn,

humans and animals alike.

9 He sent signs and wonders among you, Egypt,

against Pharaoh and all his subjects.

10 He struck many nations,

and slaughtered mighty kings —

11 Sichon king of the Emori,

‘Og king of Bashan,

and all the kingdoms of Kena‘an.

12 Then he gave their land as a heritage,

to be possessed by Isra’el his people.

13 Adonai, your name continues forever,

your renown, Adonai, through all generations.

14 For Adonai will vindicate his people,

he will take pity on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are mere silver and gold,

made by human hands.

16 They have mouths, but they can’t speak;

they have eyes, but they can’t see;

17 they have ears, but they can’t listen;

and they have no breath in their mouths;

18 The people who make them will become like them,

along with everyone who trusts in them.

19 House of Isra’el, bless Adonai!

House of Aharon, bless Adonai!

20 House of Levi, bless Adonai!

You who fear Adonai, bless Adonai!

21 Blessed be Adonai out of Tziyon,

he who dwells in Yerushalayim!

Halleluyah!

Romans 4:1 Then what should we say Avraham, our forefather, obtained by his own efforts? 2 For if Avraham came to be considered righteous by God because of legalistic observances, then he has something to boast about. But this is not how it is before God! 3 For what does the Tanakh say? “Avraham put his trust in God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness.”[a] 4 Now the account of someone who is working is credited not on the ground of grace but on the ground of what is owed him. 5 However, in the case of one who is not working but rather is trusting in him who makes ungodly people righteous, his trust is credited to him as righteousness.

6 In the same way, the blessing which David pronounces is on those whom God credits with righteousness apart from legalistic observances:

7 “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven,

whose sins are covered over;

8 Blessed is the man whose sin Adonai

will not reckon against his account.”[b]

9 Now is this blessing for the circumcised only? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say that Avraham’s trust was credited to his account as righteousness; 10 but what state was he in when it was so credited — circumcision or uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision! 11 In fact, he received circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness he had been credited with on the ground of the trust he had while he was still uncircumcised. This happened so that he could be the father of every uncircumcised person who trusts and thus has righteousness credited to him, 12 and at the same time be the father of every circumcised person who not only has had a b’rit-milah, but also follows in the footsteps of the trust which Avraham avinu had when he was still uncircumcised.

13 For the promise to Avraham and his seed[c] that he would inherit the world did not come through legalism but through the righteousness that trust produces. 14 For if the heirs are produced by legalism, then trust is pointless and the promise worthless. 15 For what law brings is punishment. But where there is no law, there is also no violation.

16 The reason the promise is based on trusting is so that it may come as God’s free gift, a promise that can be relied on by all the seed, not only those who live within the framework of the Torah, but also those with the kind of trust Avraham had — Avraham avinu for all of us. 17 This accords with the Tanakh, where it says, “I have appointed you to be a father to many nations.”[d] Avraham is our father in God’s sight because he trusted God as the one who gives life to the dead and calls nonexistent things into existence. 18 For he was past hope, yet in hope he trusted that he would indeed become a father to many nations, in keeping with what he had been told, “So many will your seed be.”[e] 19 His trust did not waver when he considered his own body — which was as good as dead, since he was about a hundred years old — or when he considered that Sarah’s womb was dead too. 20 He did not by lack of trust decide against God’s promises. On the contrary, by trust he was given power as he gave glory to God, 21 for he was fully convinced that what God had promised he could also accomplish. 22 This is why it was credited to his account as righteousness.[f]

23 But the words, “it was credited to his account . . . ,” were not written for him only. 24 They were written also for us, who will certainly have our account credited too, because we have trusted in him who raised Yeshua our Lord from the dead — 25 Yeshua, who was delivered over to death because of our offences and raised to life in order to make us righteous.[Footnotes:

Romans 4:3 Genesis 15:6

Romans 4:8 Psalm 32:1–2

Romans 4:13 Genesis 15:3, 5

Romans 4:17 Genesis 17:5

Romans 4:18 Genesis 15:5

Romans 4:22 Genesis 15:6]

1 Kings 9:1 After Shlomo had finished building the house of Adonai, the royal palace and everything else he wanted to build for himself, 2 Adonai appeared to Shlomo a second time, as he had appeared to him in Giv‘on. 3 Adonai said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea that you made before me: I am consecrating this house which you built and placing my name there forever; my eyes and heart will always be there. 4 As for you, if you will live in my presence, as did David your father, in pureness of heart and uprightness, doing everything I have ordered you to do, and observing my laws and rulings; 5 then I will establish the throne of your rulership over Isra’el forever, just as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You will never lack a man on the throne of Isra’el.’ 6 But if you turn away from following me, you or your children, and do not observe my mitzvot and regulations which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, worshipping them; 7 then I will cut off Isra’el from the land I have given them. This house, which I consecrated for my name, I will eject from my sight; and Isra’el will become an example to avoid and an object of scorn among all peoples. 8 This house, now so exalted — everyone passing by will gasp in shock at the sight of it and will ask, ‘Why has Adonai done this to this land and to this house?’ 9 But the answer will be, ‘It’s because they abandoned Adonai their God, who brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt, and took hold of other gods, worshipping and serving them; this is why Adonai brought all these calamities on them.’”

10 At the end of twenty years, during which time Shlomo had built the two buildings, the house of Adonai and the royal palace, 11 King Shlomo gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of the Galil (recall that Hiram the king of Tzor had supplied Shlomo with cedar and cypress logs and with all the gold Shlomo wanted). 12 Hiram came over from Tzor to see the cities Shlomo had given him, but he was not satisfied with them. 13 He said, “What kind of cities are these which you have given me, my brother?” So they have been called the land of Kabul [good for nothing] till this day. 14 (Hiram had sent the king four tons of gold.)

15 Following is the account of the forced labor levied by King Shlomo for building the house of Adonai, his own palace, the Millo, the wall of Yerushalayim, and the cities of Hatzor, Megiddo and Gezer. 16 Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, taken Gezer, burned it to the ground and killed the Kena‘ani living in the city; then he had given it as a dowry for his daughter, Shlomo’s wife. 17 So Shlomo rebuilt Gezer; he also built Lower Beit-Horon, 18 Ba‘alat, Tadmor in the desert, in the land, 19 as well as all the cities that Shlomo had for storing supplies, the cities for his chariots, the cities for his horsemen, and the other buildings Shlomo wanted to build for himself in Yerushalayim, in the L’vanon and throughout the land he ruled. 20 All the people still left from the Emori, Hitti, P’rizi, Hivi, and Y’vusi, who were not part of the people of Isra’el, 21 that is, their descendants remaining after them in the land, whom the people of Isra’el were not able to destroy completely — from them Shlomo levied his forced laborers; as it is to this day. 22 But Shlomo did not raise any of his forced labor from the people of Isra’el; rather, they were the soldiers, his servants, administrators and commanders, and the officials in charge of his chariots and horsemen. 23 There were 550 chief officers over Shlomo’s work, in charge of the workers.

24 Pharaoh’s daughter came up from the City of David to her house, which Shlomo had built for her. After that he built the Millo.

25 Three times a year Shlomo offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he had built for Adonai, offering incense with them on the altar before Adonai. So he finished the house.

26 King Shlomo built a fleet of ships in ‘Etzyon-Gever, by Elot on the shore of the Sea of Suf in the land of Edom. 27 Hiram sent some of his own servants, experienced sailors who understood the sea, to serve with Shlomo’s servants. 28 They went to Ofir and took from there gold, fourteen tons of it, which they brought back to King Shlomo.

2 Chronicles 8:1 At the end of twenty years, during which time Shlomo had built the house of Adonai and his own palace, 2 Shlomo built up the cities which Huram had given to Shlomo and had the people of Isra’el live there.

3 Then Shlomo attacked Hamat-Tzovah and defeated it. 4 He built Tadmor in the desert and all the cities for storing supplies that he built in Hamat. 5 He also built Upper Beit-Horon and Lower Beit-Horon, fortified cities with walls, gates and bars; 6 Ba‘alat; and all the cities that Shlomo had for storing supplies, all the cities for his chariots, the cities for his horsemen, and all the other buildings Shlomo wanted to build in Yerushalayim, in the L’vanon and throughout the land he ruled.

7 As for all the people still left from the Hitti, Emori, P’rizi, Hivi, and Y’vusi, who were not part of Isra’el, 8 from their descendants remaining after them in the land, whom the people of Isra’el did not exterminate — from them Shlomo levied [his forced laborers], as it is to this day. 9 But Shlomo did not raise any of his slaves from the people of Isra’el; rather, these were the soldiers, his chief commanders, and the officials in charge of his chariots and horsemen. 10 King Shlomo had 250 chief officers in charge of the people.

11 Shlomo brought up Pharaoh’s daughter from the City of David to the house he had built for her; because he said, “No wife of mine is going to live in the house of David king of Isra’el, since the [buildings] where the ark of Adonai has been are holy.”

12 Then Shlomo offered burnt offerings to Adonai on the altar of Adonai that he had built in front of the vestibule, 13 as each day required, offering according to the mitzvah of Moshe on Shabbats, at Rosh-Hodesh and at the designated times three times a year — the festivals of Matzah, Shavu‘ot and Sukkot. 14 As David his father had ordered, he appointed the divisions of the cohanim for their service and the L’vi’im to their tasks — to praise and to perform their service in the presence of the cohanim according to each day’s requirements. He also appointed the gatekeepers by their divisions to be at every gate, for David the man of God had so ordered. 15 They did not deviate from the king’s order to the cohanim and L’vi’im in any matter or in regard to the supplies. 16 All the work of Shlomo was organized in this way from the day ground was broken for the house of Adonai until everything had been accomplished, and the house of Adonai had been completed.

17 Shlomo went to ‘Etzyon-Gever and Elot on the shore of the sea in the land of Edom. 18 Huram sent some of his servants with ships, and others that were experienced sailors who understood the sea; they went with Shlomo’s servants to Ofir and took from there fifteen tons of gold, which they brought back to King Shlomo.

Psalm 136:1 Give thanks to Adonai, for he is good,

for his grace continues forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods,

for his grace continues forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,