Bible League: Living His Word Our God, punish those people. We don't have the strength to stop this large army that is coming against us. We don't know what to do! We are looking to you for help."One of the greatest victories of the people of God over an enemy happened during the reign of Jehoshaphat. A large army came against the people of Judah, and Jehoshaphat was afraid. Although he was afraid, he had the presence of mind to do the right thing. He announced a time of fasting for everyone in Judah and he gathered them together for prayer. Jehoshaphat himself led them in prayer. Our verse for today is the conclusion of his prayer and it is instructive for our own prayers. First, Jehoshaphat confessed that the people of Judah did not have the strength to defeat the large army. What we can learn from this is that when the disaster is about to strike it is no time to act proud. We should be humble like Jehoshaphat and confess the plain state of affairs before the Lord. We should come before the Lord with our requests precisely because we do not have the strength and ability to overcome the situation on our own. Second, Jehoshaphat confessed that the people of Judah did not know what to do. What we can learn from this is that when the problems are overwhelming and the path forward is not clear it is no time to try and figure things out on our own. We should be humble like Jehoshaphat and confess our ignorance before the Lord. We should come before the Lord with our requests precisely because we do not know how to overcome the situation on our own. Finally, Jehoshaphat stated that they were looking to the Lord for help. He had confessed their weakness and ignorance and he now states that the only thing they know to do is ask the Lord for help. They do not have the strength or wisdom and so they are going to simply wait before the Lord. The Lord responded to Jehoshaphat's prayer that day and gave the people of Judah an overwhelming victory. When we admit to the Lord that we don't have the strength and the wisdom to overcome, but we are looking to Him for help, then He can go to work for us just like He did for Jehoshaphat. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJob 26, 27, 28 Job 26 -- Job Declares the Greatness of God NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Job 27 -- Job Affirms His Own Righteousness; The wicked Will be Cursed NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Job 28 -- Wisdom Is Harder to Obtain than Earth's Treasures NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 11 Acts 11 -- Peter's Defense in Jerusalem; The Church at Antioch NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.Insight People were flocking to hear Jesus preach and to have their diseases healed, but Jesus made sure he often withdrew to quiet, solitary places to pray. Challenge Many things clamor for our attention, and we often run ourselves ragged attending to them. Like Jesus, however, we should take time to withdraw to a quiet and deserted place to pray. Strength comes from God, and we can only be strengthened by spending time with him. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.We must not imagine that we are suffering for Christ, and with Christ, if we are not in Christ. Beloved friend, are you trusting to Jesus only? If not, whatever you may have to mourn over on earth, you are not "suffering with Christ," and have no hope of reigning with him in heaven. Neither are we to conclude that all a Christian's sufferings are sufferings with Christ, for it is essential that he be called by God to suffer. If we are rash and imprudent, and run into positions for which neither providence nor grace has fitted us, we ought to question whether we are not rather sinning than communing with Jesus. If we let passion take the place of judgment, and self-will reign instead of Scriptural authority, we shall fight the Lord's battles with the devil's weapons, and if we cut our own fingers we must not be surprised. Again, in troubles which come upon us as the result of sin, we must not dream that we are suffering with Christ. When Miriam spoke evil of Moses, and the leprosy polluted her, she was not suffering for God. Moreover, suffering which God accepts must have God's glory as its end. If I suffer that I may earn a name, or win applause, I shall get no other reward than that of the Pharisee. It is requisite also that love to Jesus, and love to his elect, be ever the mainspring of all our patience. We must manifest the Spirit of Christ in meekness, gentleness, and forgiveness. Let us search and see if we truly suffer with Jesus. And if we do thus suffer, what is our "light affliction" compared with reigning with him? Oh it is so blessed to be in the furnace with Christ, and such an honor to stand in the pillory with him, that if there were no future reward, we might count ourselves happy in present honor; but when the recompense is so eternal, so infinitely more than we had any right to expect, shall we not take up the cross with alacrity, and go on our way rejoicing? Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 Corinthians 1:28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,Acts 2:7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? Matthew 4:18,19 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. • And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Acts 4:13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. 1 Corinthians 2:4,5 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, • so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. John 15:16,5 "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. • "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 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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