The Harvest Ministry Daily Devotion by Greg Laurie from The Harvest Church of Riverside, California, United States for Friday, May 1, 2015 "Opened to Earth, Closed to Heaven"
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.[Genesis 3:8]
If you happen to hear a dirty joke and don't get it, way to go. All too often, we know more about this wicked world than we need to know. And we know far too less about God's Word, which we need to grow. Writing to the believers in Rome, the apostle Paul said, "I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil" (Romans 16:19).
When Adam and Eve sinned, their eyes were opened to Earth and closed to Heaven. Then God showed up. It appears from the way it is stated in the text that this was a daily occurrence. And normally it would have been a welcomed visit. But this time Adam wasn't waiting for the Lord's arrival. Rather, he was hiding.
It's interesting to note when God came to Adam. It wasn't in the heat of the day, lest Adam would think God was coming to him in the heat of His passion. Nor did God come to Adam in the early morning, lest Adam would think God couldn't wait to punish him for his sin. No, God came to Adam in the cool of the day, loving and patient, yet hurt and demanding confession.
Sometimes when we sin, we will find a way to rationalize it. We might even assume that maybe God is okay with it because the consequences aren't yet evident. But God is never okay with sin. And know this: The Bible says, "Your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). If you were to translate that from the original language, it ultimately would read like this: Your sin will find you out. It will come out—maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe a month from now, or maybe ten years from now. But it will find you out.
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Sometimes when we sin, we will find a way to rationalize it. We might even assume that maybe God is okay with it because the consequences aren't yet evident. But God is never okay with sin.
Today's Bible Reading
1 Chronicles 14:1 Huram king of Tzor sent envoys to David with cedar logs, and with them stonemasons and carpenters, to build him a palace. 2 David then knew that Adonai had set him up as king over Isra’el; because, for the sake of his people Isra’el, his royal power had been greatly increased.
3 David took more concubines and wives in Yerushalayim, and David became father of more sons and daughters. 4 Here are the names of the children born to him in Yerushalayim: Shamua, Shovav, Natan, Shlomo, 5 Yivchar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nefeg, Yafia, 7 Elishama, Be‘elyada and Elifelet.
8 When the P’lishtim heard that David had been anointed king over all Isra’el, all the P’lishtim went up in search of David. On hearing of it, David went to attack them. 9 Now the P’lishtim came and made a raid in the Refa’im Valley. 10 David consulted God, asking, “Should I attack the P’lishtim? Will you hand them over to me?” Adonai answered David, “Attack; I will hand them over to you.” 11 So they went up to Ba‘al-P’ratzim, and David defeated them there. David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my power like a river breaking through its banks.” This is why they called the place Ba‘al-P’ratzim [Lord of breaking through]. 12 The P’lishtim had left their gods there, so David gave an order, and they were burned up completely.
13 The P’lishtim came up again and raided the valley. 14 David consulted God again, but God told him, “Don’t attack them! Turn away from them, and engage them opposite the balsam trees. 15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out, and attack; because God has gone out ahead of you to defeat the army of the P’lishtim.” 16 David did as God had ordered him to do and pursued his attack on the army of the P’lishtim from Giv‘on to Gezer.
17 So David’s reputation spread to all countries, and Adonai brought the fear of him on all nations.
15:1 David erected buildings for himself in the City of David, prepared a place for the ark of God, and set up a tent for it. 2 Then David said, “No one but the L’vi’im should carry the ark of God, because Adonai chose them to carry the ark of Adonai and to serve him forever.”
3 David assembled all Isra’el in Yerushalayim to bring the ark of Adonai up to its place, which he had prepared for it. 4 David gathered together the descendants of Aharon and the L’vi’im: 5 from the descendants of K’hat: Uri’el the chief, and 120 of his kinsmen; 6 from the descendants of M’rari: ‘Asayah the chief, and 220 of his kinsmen; 7 from the descendants of Gershom: Yo’el the chief, and 130 of his kinsmen; 8 from the descendants of Elitzafan: Sh’ma‘yah the chief, and 200 of his kinsmen; 9 from the descendants of Hevron: Eli’el the chief, and eighty of his kinsmen; 10 and from the descendants of ‘Uzi’el: ‘Amminadav the chief, and 112 of his kinsmen.
11 David called for Tzadok and Evyatar the cohanim and for the L’vi’im — Uri’el, ‘Asayah, Yo’el, Sh’ma‘yah, Eli’el and ‘Amminadav — 12 and said to them, “You are the clan leaders of the L’vi’im. Consecrate yourselves, both you and your kinsmen, to bring the ark of Adonai the God of Isra’el up to the place I have prepared for it. 13 It’s because you weren’t there the first time that Adonai our God broke out against us. We didn’t seek him out according to the rule.” 14 So the cohanim and L’vi’im consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of Adonai the God of Isra’el; 15 and the L’vi’im carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles on it, as Moshe had ordered, according to what Adonai had said.
16 David spoke to the chief of the L’vi’im to appoint their kinsmen to be singers making use of musical instruments — lutes, lyres and cymbals — to play loudly and raise sounds of joy. 17 So the L’vi’im appointed Heman the son of Yo’el; of his kinsmen, Asaf the son of Berekhyahu; of the descendants of M’rari their kinsmen, Eitan the son of Kushayahu; 18 and with them their second-degree kinsmen Z’kharyahu, Ben, Ya‘azi’el, Sh’miramot, Yechi’el, ‘Uni, Eli’av, B’nayahu, Ma‘aseiyahu, Mattityahu, Elif’lehu, Mikneyahu, with ‘Oved-Edom and Ye‘i’el the gatekeepers. 19 The singers Heman, Asaf and Eitan were appointed to sound the bronze cymbals. 20 Z’kharyahu, ‘Azi’el, Sh’miramot, Yechi’el, ‘Uni, Eli’av, Ma‘aseiyahu and B’nayahu were to play the lutes for ‘alamot [high-pitched music?]. 21 Mattityahu, Elif’lehu, Mikneyahu, ’Oved-Edom, Ye‘i’el and ‘Azazyahu were to play lyres to lead the sh’minit [low-pitched music?]. 22 K’nanyahu, chief of the L’vi’im, was in charge of the singing; he was put in charge of the singing because he was skillful at it. 23 Berekhyahu and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark. 24 Sh’vanyahu, Yoshafat, N’tan’el, ‘Amasai, Z’kharyahu, B’nayahu and Eli‘ezer the cohanim blew the trumpets in front of the ark of God. ‘Oved-Edom and Yechiyah were gatekeepers for the ark.
25 So David, the leaders of Isra’el and the commanders over thousands went to bring up the ark for the covenant of Adonai out from the house of ‘Oved-Edom with joy. 26 Since God was helping the L’vi’im who were carrying the ark for the covenant of Adonai, they sacrificed seven young bulls and seven rams. 27 David, all the L’vi’im bearing the ark, the singers and K’nanyah the music leader for the singers were all wearing linen cloaks; and David was also wearing a linen ritual vest. 28 So all Isra’el brought up the ark for the covenant of Adonai with shouting; blowing on shofars and trumpets; and cymbals sounding with lutes and lyres. 29 As the ark for the covenant of Adonai entered the City of David, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul, watching from the window, saw King David dancing and celebrating; and she was filled with contempt for him.
Psalm 132: (0) A song of ascents:
(1) Adonai, remember in David’s favor
all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to Adonai,
vowed to the Mighty One of Ya‘akov,
3 “I will not enter the house where I live
or get into my bed,
4 I will not allow myself to sleep
or even close my eyes,
5 until I find a place for Adonai,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Ya‘akov.”
6 We heard about it in Efrat,
we found it in the Fields of Ya‘ar.
7 Let’s go into his dwelling
and prostrate ourselves at his footstool.
8 Go up, Adonai, to your resting-place,
you and the ark through which you give strength.
9 May your cohanim be clothed with righteousness;
may those loyal to you shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
don’t turn away the face of your anointed one.
11 Adonai swore an oath to David,
an oath he will not break:
“One of the sons from your own body
I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my instruction, which I will teach them,
then their descendants too, forever,
will sit on your throne.”
13 For Adonai has chosen Tziyon,
he has wanted it as his home.
14 “This is my resting-place forever,
I will live here because I so much want to.
15 I will bless it with plenty of meat,
I will give its poor their fill of food.
16 Its cohanim I will clothe with salvation,
and its faithful will shout for joy.
17 I will make a king sprout there from David’s line
and prepare a lamp for my anointed one.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him there will be a shining crown.”
Matthew 18:1 At that moment the talmidim came to Yeshua and asked, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 2 He called a child to him, stood him among them, 3 and said, “Yes! I tell you that unless you change and become like little children, you won’t even enter the Kingdom of Heaven! 4 So the greatest in the Kingdom is whoever makes himself as humble as this child. 5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me; 6 and whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the open sea! 7 Woe to the world because of snares! For there must be snares, but woe to the person who sets the snare!
8 “So if your hand or foot becomes a snare for you, cut it off and throw it away! Better that you should be maimed or crippled and obtain eternal life than keep both hands or both feet and be thrown into everlasting fire! 9 And if your eye is a snare for you, gouge it out and fling it away! Better that you should be one-eyed and obtain eternal life than keep both eyes and be thrown into the fire of Gei-Hinnom. 10 See that you never despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually seeing the face of my Father in heaven. 11 [a]
12 “What’s your opinion? What will somebody do who has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillsides and go off to find the stray? 13 And if he happens to find it? Yes! I tell you he is happier over it than over the ninety-nine that never strayed! 14 Thus your Father in heaven does not want even one of these little ones to be lost.
15 “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin against you, go and show him his fault — but privately, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. 16 If he doesn’t listen, take one or two others with you so that every accusation can be supported by the testimony of two or three witnesses.[b] 17 If he refuses to hear them, tell the congregation; and if he refuses to listen even to the congregation, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax-collector. 18 Yes! I tell you people that whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. 19 To repeat, I tell you that if two of you here on earth agree about anything people ask, it will be for them from my Father in heaven. 20 For wherever two or three are assembled in my name, I am there with them.”
21 Then Kefa came up and said to him, “Rabbi, how often can my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 “No, not seven times,” answered Yeshua, “but seventy times seven! 23 Because of this, the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared with a king who decided to settle accounts with his deputies. 24 Right away they brought forward a man who owed him many millions; 25 and since he couldn’t pay, his master ordered that he, his wife, his children and all his possessions be sold to pay the debt. 26 But the servant fell down before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 So out of pity for him, the master let him go and forgave the debt.
28 “But as that servant was leaving, he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him some tiny sum. He grabbed him and began to choke him, crying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ 29 His fellow servant fell before him and begged, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 But he refused; instead, he had him thrown in jail until he should repay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed; and they went and told their master everything that had taken place. 32 Then the master summoned his servant and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt just because you begged me to do it. 33 Shouldn’t you have had pity on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And in anger his master turned him over to the jailers for punishment until he paid back everything he owed. 35 This is how my heavenly Father will treat you, unless you each forgive your brother from your hearts.”[Footnotes:
Matthew 18:11 Some manuscripts include verse 11: For the Son of Man came to save the lost.
Matthew 18:16 Deuteronomy 19:15]
Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie
P.O. Box 4000
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