Bible League: Living His Word LORD, my heart is not haughty,Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me. Those who are immature in the faith may still have a problem with haughtiness. They may still harbor selfish ambitions and grand illusions, refuse to associate with anyone who can't help them get to the top, and act wise in their own minds (Romans 12:16). Such people may also have eyes that are lofty. That is, they look past and refuse to acknowledge anyone they consider inferior to themselves. They have the "proud look" that the Lord hates (Proverbs 6:17). The haughty also tend to concern themselves with great matters. They concern themselves with matters beyond their capacity and station in life. They take positions on issues they know nothing about and they hold firm opinions on everything, regardless of the complexity. Further, the haughty even concern themselves with profound things. That is, they concern themselves with things that supersede human comprehension. Instead of humbly sticking to the things that have been revealed to us, they vainly speculate on the secret things that belong to God and God alone (Deuteronomy 29:29). The mature in the faith, in contrast, are not like the haughty. They have calmed and quieted their souls. In place of the petulant striving and struggle of the proud soul to stay above the next guy, in place of the arrogant reflection on matters beyond them and futile speculation on things above them, they have humble souls at peace with their God-ordained place in life and untroubled by great and profound matters. The mature soul, like a weaned child that has gotten past the need for mother's milk, has gotten past the immature pride of the selfishly ambitious and the infantile conceit of the haughty mind. Like a weaned child, the mature soul has achieved its growth and does not need to go back to where it came from. It waits patiently for the next stage of life and the wisdom that comes with it. Today, be at peace with where you are in life and with the wisdom you have been given. God will see to the next stage of your ascent and see to the wisdom you need at that time. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingEzekiel 7, 8, 9 Ezekiel 7 -- The End has Come to the Four Corners of the Land NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Ezekiel 8 -- Ezekiel's Vision of Idolatry in the Temple NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Ezekiel 9 -- The Vision of Slaughter of Idolaters NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Hebrews 10:24-39 Hebrews 10 -- Christ's One Sacrifice is Sufficient for All Time; Perseverance NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.Insight By his words and example, Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to live in such a way that would be worthy of God. Challenge Is there anything about your daily life that would embarrass God? What do people think of God from watching you? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Genesis 29:26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.We do not excuse Laban for his dishonesty, but we scruple not to learn from the custom which he quoted as his excuse. There are some things which must be taken in order, and if we would win the second we must secure the first. The second may be the more lovely in our eyes, but the rule of the heavenly country must stand, and the elder must be married first. For instance, many men desire the beautiful and well-favored Rachel of joy and peace in believing, but they must first be wedded to the tender-eyed Leah of repentance. Every one falls in love with happiness, and many would cheerfully serve twice seven years to enjoy it, but according to the rule of the Lord's kingdom, the Leah of real holiness must be beloved of our soul before the Rachel of true happiness can be attained. Heaven stands not first but second, and only by persevering to the end can we win a portion in it. The cross must be carried before the crown can be worn. We must follow our Lord in his humiliation, or we shall never rest with him in glory. My soul, what sayest thou, art thou so vain as to hope to break through the heavenly rule? Dost thou hope for reward without labor, or honor without toil? Dismiss the idle expectation, and be content to take the ill-favored things for the sake of the sweet love of Jesus, which will recompense thee for all. In such a spirit, laboring and suffering, thou wilt find bitters grow sweet, and hard things easy. Like Jacob, thy years of service will seem unto thee but a few days for the love thou hast to Jesus; and when the dear hour of the wedding feast shall come, all thy toils shall be as though they had never been--an hour with Jesus will make up for ages of pain and labor. Jesus, to win thyself so fair, Thy cross I will with gladness bear: Since so the rules of heaven ordain, The first I'll wed the next to gain. Daily Light on the Daily Path Jeremiah 12:5 "If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out, Then how can you compete with horses? If you fall down in a land of peace, How will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?Joshua 3:15 and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), Joshua 3:17 And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan. Hebrews 2:9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. Revelation 1:17,18 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, • and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. 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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