Bible League: Living His Word Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?Although angels are superior to human beings in terms of intellectual understanding and in terms of power, God has ordained that they should be ministering spirits for those who will inherit salvation. In this capacity they are "sent forth" by God to render aid to Christians as they do their part to advance and enhance the Kingdom of God on earth. Angels do many different things for the people of God. Here are just four of them: First, they deliver messages to us from God. Luke 1:30-31 tells us that an angel told Mary about her future role: "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS." Luke 2:10-12 tells us that angels told some shepherds about the birth of Jesus: "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Acts 1:11 tells us that while the disciples were gazing up during Jesus' ascension to heaven, two angels said: "This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." Second, they defend, protect, and deliver us. Acts 5:19 says that an angel delivered the apostles from prison: "But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out." Psalm 34:7 says that "The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And He delivers them." II Kings 19:35 says that an angel destroyed Sennacheribe's army: "And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand." Third, they strengthen us when we are tempted. I Peter 5:8 says that "your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." The holy angels do the exact opposite. Luke 22:43 says that when Jesus was tempted in the Garden of Gethsemane "an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him." Finally, angels apparently escort us to heaven when we die. Luke 16:22 says that Lazarus the beggar "was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom." And although angels are not specifically mentioned, Luke 24:51 says that Jesus was "carried up into heaven" at His ascension. Given what the Bible says about angels, don't rule them out from your life and experience. Don't rule out the possibility that one may show up and help you just when you need it most. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingAmos 4, 5, 6 Amos 4 -- Israel Has Not Returned to Me NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Amos 5 -- Seek Me that You May Live NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Amos 6 -- Woe to those at ease in Zion; Abhorrence of Israel's Pride NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Revelation 6 Revelation 6 -- The First Six Seals NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Don't speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God's law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?Insight Jesus summarized the law as love for God and neighbor, and Paul said that love demonstrated toward a neighbor would fully satisfy the law. When we fail to love, we are actually breaking God's law. Challenge Examine your attitude and actions toward others. Do you build people up or tear them down? When you're ready to criticize someone, remember God's law of love and say something good instead. Saying something beneficial to others will cure you of finding fault and increase your ability to obey God's law of love. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Isaiah 54:11 And lay thy foundations with sapphires.Not only that which is seen of the church of God, but that which is unseen, is fair and precious. Foundations are out of sight, and so long as they are firm it is not expected that they should be valuable; but in Jehovah's work everything is of a piece, nothing slurred, nothing mean. The deep foundations of the work of grace are as sapphires for preciousness, no human mind is able to measure their glory. We build upon the covenant of grace, which is firmer than adamant, and as enduring as jewels upon which age spends itself in vain. Sapphire foundations are eternal, and the covenant abides throughout the lifetime of the Almighty. Another foundation is the person of the Lord Jesus, which is clear and spotless, everlasting and beautiful as the sapphire; blending in one the deep blue of earth's ever rolling ocean and the azure of its all embracing sky. Once might our Lord have been likened to the ruby as he stood covered with his own blood, but now we see him radiant with the soft blue of love, love abounding, deep, eternal. Our eternal hopes are built upon the justice and the faithfulness of God, which are clear and cloudless as the sapphire. We are not saved by a compromise, by mercy defeating justice, or law suspending its operations; no, we defy the eagle's eye to detect a flaw in the groundwork of our confidence--our foundation is of sapphire, and will endure the fire. The Lord himself has laid the foundation of his people's hopes. It is matter for grave enquiry whether our hopes are built upon such a basis. Good works and ceremonies are not a foundation of sapphires, but of wood, hay, and stubble; neither are they laid by God, but by our own conceit. Foundations will all be tried ere long: woe unto him whose lofty tower shall come down with a crash, because based on a quicksand. He who is built on sapphires may await storm or fire with equanimity, for he shall abide the test. Daily Light on the Daily Path Matthew 21:28 "But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.'Galatians 4:7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Romans 6:11-13 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. • Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, • and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 1 Peter 1:14,15 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, • but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 2 Timothy 2:21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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