Bible League: Living His Word The Lord GOD gives me my strength.He helps me run fast like a deer. He leads me safely on the mountains. Where does your strength come from? Does it come from the power of your own flesh and self-determination, or does it come from somewhere or someone else? For Habakkuk, the source of his strength came from above. The Lord God was the source of his strength and, as a result, he had supernatural strength at work in his very natural life. Habakkuk could do the "whatever I must do" of the Apostle Paul (Philippians 4:13) through the supernatural power at work in his weakness (II Corinthians 12:9). Thus, Habakkuk could run like a deer. The metaphor indicates that Habakkuk could, with the strength of the Lord God, run through life like a deer running through the fields. For a deer, running through the fields is a seemingly effortless endeavor. Instead of the slogging and trudging of mere humans through the fields, Habakkuk could negotiate the streams and vast expanses with the speed and ease of a deer. When you go through life in the strength of the Lord God things are a lot easier than when you try to go it alone. Habakkuk, however, could do more than just run swiftly through the fields. He could also safely find his way upon the mountains. This metaphor indicates that Habakkuk could, with the strength and leading of the Lord God, find his way through the insurmountable obstacles of life like a deer bounding up the mountain sides. Instead of the difficult climbing required of mere humans, Habakkuk could negotiate the rocks and trees with the sure-footedness of a deer. When you go through life with the strength and leading of the Lord God it is a lot easier to handle the obstacles of life than when you try to go it alone. Apart from the Lord life can be very hard. Before you come face to face with the fields and mountains of life today, take Habakkuk's words into consideration. Seek the strength and leading of the Lord God and make things easier on yourself. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingDeuteronomy 26, 27 Deuteronomy 26 -- Offering First Fruits and Tithes NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Deuteronomy 27 -- The Altar and Curses on Mount Ebal NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Mark 15:1-26 Mark 15 -- Jesus before Pilate; Mocked by Soldiers; Crucifixion; Burial NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusationseven as I am praying for them! Insight David was angry at being attacked by evil people who slandered him and lied. Yet David remained a friend and a man of prayer. Challenge While we must hate evil and work to overcome it, we must love everyone, including those who do evil, because God loves them. We are called to hate the sin, but love the person. Only through God's strength will we be able to follow David's example. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 2 Chronicles 31:21 He did it with all his heart and prospered.This is no unusual occurrence; it is the general rule of the moral universe that those men prosper who do their work with all their hearts, while those are almost certain to fail who go to their labor leaving half their hearts behind them. God does not give harvests to idle men except harvests of thistles, nor is he pleased to send wealth to those who will not dig in the field to find its hid treasure. It is universally confessed that if a man would prosper, he must be diligent in business. It is the same in religion as it is in other things. If you would prosper in your work for Jesus, let it be heart work, and let it be done with all your heart. Put as much force, energy, heartiness, and earnestness into religion as ever you do into business, for it deserves far more. The Holy Spirit helps our infirmities, but he does not encourage our idleness; he loves active believers. Who are the most useful men in the Christian church? The men who do what they undertake for God with all their hearts. Who are the most successful Sabbath-school teachers? The most talented? No; the most zealous; the men whose hearts are on fire, those are the men who see their Lord riding forth prosperously in the majesty of his salvation. Whole-heartedness shows itself in perseverance; there may be failure at first, but the earnest worker will say, "It is the Lord's work, and it must be done; my Lord has bidden me do it, and in his strength I will accomplish it." Christian, art thou thus "with all thine heart" serving thy Master? Remember the earnestness of Jesus! Think what heart-work was his! He could say, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." When he sweat great drops of blood, it was no light burden he had to carry upon those blessed shoulders; and when he poured out his heart, it was no weak effort he was making for the salvation of his people. Was Jesus in earnest, and are we lukewarm? Daily Light on the Daily Path Exodus 20:11 "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.Psalm 19:1 For the choir director. A Psalm of David. The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Psalm 33:6,9 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host. • For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. Isaiah 40:15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust. Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. Psalm 8:3,4 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; • What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? 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. |
Click for Video Devotionals     |