Evening, May 17
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Bible League: Living His Word
Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping--believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, "That's how many descendants you will have!" And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead--and so was Sarah's womb.

God had made a promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and Abraham believed God. Abraham was a man of faith. Hebrews 11:1 says that "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Although there was no earthly reason to believe that God's promise would come to pass, Abraham believed God anyway.

Abraham is one of the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11. Like the other heroes listed there, he serves as a model and inspiration for our own faith. God still speaks to His people. He speaks to us through the Bible, through an inner witness of the Spirit, through other people, through circumstances, and so on. When we believe He has spoken to us personally about the future course of our lives we can look to the heroes of faith and learn from them.

One of the things we can learn from Abraham's story is that the promise will not always look like it is going to come to pass. In Abraham's case, his body and Sarah's body were as good as dead. So likewise, there will be times in our own lives when what we believe God has promised will not look like it is going to come to pass. These are times of testing when there will be temptations to doubt God. Satan uses these times to try and get us to disobey God by giving up and refusing to press on toward the goal.

When these attacks of the enemy come to us, we should follow the example of Abraham. Although there may be no reason for hope, we should keep on hoping anyway. We should ignore the circumstances that allow doubt and unbelief into our hearts and put our trust in the God "who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20).

Bible in a Year
Old Testament Reading
2 Kings 18, 19


2 Kings 18 -- Hezekiah Rules over Judah, Destroys Idolatry

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


2 Kings 19 -- Isaiah Foretells Jerusalem's Deliverance; Hezekiah's Prayer and God's Answer

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


New Testament Reading
John 6:22-44


John 6 -- Jesus Feeds Five Thousand, Walks on Water; "I am the Resurrection"; Many Desert Jesus; Peter Confesses Christ

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library.
Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion
“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign LORD. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.
Insight
God is a God of love, but he is also a God of perfect justice. His perfect love causes him to be merciful to those who recognize their sin and turn back to him, but he cannot wink at those who willfully sin. Wicked people die both physically and spiritually. God takes no joy in their deaths; he would prefer that they turn to him and have eternal life.
Challenge
Likewise, we should not rejoice in the misfortunes of nonbelievers. Instead, we should do all in our power to bring them to faith.
Morning and Evening by Spurgeon
Isaiah 41:9  Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee.

If we have received the grace of God in our hearts, its practical effect has been to make us God's servants. We may be unfaithful servants, we certainly are unprofitable ones, but yet, blessed be his name, we are his servants, wearing his livery, feeding at his table, and obeying his commands. We were once the servants of sin, but he who made us free has now taken us into his family and taught us obedience to his will. We do not serve our Master perfectly, but we would if we could. As we hear God's voice saying unto us, "Thou art my servant," we can answer with David, "I am thy servant; thou hast loosed my bonds." But the Lord calls us not only his servants, but his chosen ones--"I have chosen thee." We have not chosen him first, but he hath chosen us. If we be God's servants, we were not always so; to sovereign grace the change must be ascribed. The eye of sovereignty singled us out, and the voice of unchanging grace declared, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love." Long ere time began or space was created God had written upon his heart the names of his elect people, had predestinated them to be conformed unto the image of his Son, and ordained them heirs of all the fulness of his love, his grace, and his glory. What comfort is here! Has the Lord loved us so long, and will he yet cast us away? He knew how stiffnecked we should be; he understood that our hearts were evil, and yet he made the choice. Ah! our Saviour is no fickle lover. He doth not feel enchanted for awhile with some gleams of beauty from his church's eye, and then afterwards cast her off because of her unfaithfulness. Nay, he married her in old eternity; and it is written of Jehovah, "He hateth putting away." The eternal choice is a bond upon our gratitude and upon his faithfulness which neither can disown.

Daily Light on the Daily Path
Psalm 89:19  Once You spoke in vision to Your godly ones, And said, "I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people.

Hebrews 2:16,17  For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. • Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Ezekiel 1:26  Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man.

John 3:13  "No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.

Luke 24:39  "See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."

Philippians 2:7-10  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. • Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. • For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, • so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Revelation 3:2  'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

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.

Morning May 17
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