Bible League: Living His Word For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.From time to time the people of earth make attempts to build the city that will last forever, they make attempts to build the ultimate capital that will usher in the "end of history" with its constant struggles between competing kingdoms, and they make attempts to build the city that will stand at the center of the earth and from there control the whole earth. It began in the land of Shinar with its Tower of Babel, but Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and a host of lesser powers have all made attempts to achieve the goal. Every such attempt has ultimately failed. Great and mighty kingdoms were forged together from nothing, but they never came close to the ultimate goal. They have all been chewed up by the teeth of time. The earth is full of their ruined cities and archeologists are constantly finding more of them. Nevertheless, the goal still survives, the armies continue to march forth, and the lessons are not learned. Although our verse for today proclaims that there are no lasting cities here on earth, the people of earth continue their efforts to build one. There is, however, one city that is different. It is different because it does not exist here on earth. It stands above the maelstrom of cities and kingdoms in constant struggle with one another. It is the New Jerusalem in heaven above that is being constructed under the supervision of Jesus Christ himself (John 14:3). Although it presently exists in heaven, it is the "city that is to come" of our verse for today because one day it will descend from heaven and take its place on earth (Revelation 21:2). It will be the final and permanent capital of the whole earth. Although the New Jerusalem presently exists in heaven, we can already see manifestations of its influence and power here on earth. In accordance with Jesus' prophecy, its Kingdom is advancing all over the world (Acts 1:8). Even though we must dwell amidst the cities and kingdoms of earth, we should give our ultimate allegiance to the city and Kingdom of heaven. We should try to bring the rule of the heavenly city to bear in the affairs of the cities of earth. It is the rule of the New Jerusalem and its Kingdom that we should seek first (Matthew 6:33). Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingIsaiah 29, 30 Isaiah 29 -- Warning to David's City; Blessing to Follow Discipline NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 30 -- Warning against Refuge in Egypt; God's Grace NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Ephesians 6 Ephesians 6 -- Children, Parents, Slaves, Masters; the Full Armor of God NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!Insight Our troubles should not diminish our faith or disillusion us. We should realize that there is a purpose in our suffering. Problems and human limitations have several benefits: (1) they remind us of Christ's suffering for us; (2) they keep us from pride; (3) they cause us to look beyond this brief life; (4) they prove our faith to others; and (5) they give God the opportunity to demonstrate his power. Challenge See your troubles as opportunities! Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 1 John 2:1 If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."If any man sin, we have an advocate." Yes, though we sin, we have him still. John does not say, "If any man sin he has forfeited his advocate," but "we have an advocate," sinners though we are. All the sin that a believer ever did, or can be allowed to commit, cannot destroy his interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, as his advocate. The name here given to our Lord is suggestive. "Jesus." Ah! then he is an advocate such as we need, for Jesus is the name of one whose business and delight it is to save. "They shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." His sweetest name implies his success. Next, it is "Jesus Christ"--Christos, the anointed. This shows his authority to plead. The Christ has a right to plead, for he is the Father's own appointed advocate and elected priest. If he were of our choosing he might fail, but if God hath laid help upon one that is mighty, we may safely lay our trouble where God has laid his help. He is Christ, and therefore authorized; he is Christ, and therefore qualified, for the anointing has fully fitted him for his work. He can plead so as to move the heart of God and prevail. What words of tenderness, what sentences of persuasion will the anointed use when he stands up to plead for me! One more letter of his name remains, "Jesus Christ the righteous." This is not only his character but his plea. It is his character, and if the Righteous One be my advocate, then my cause is good, or he would not have espoused it. It is his plea, for he meets the charge of unrighteousness against me by the plea that he is righteous. He declares himself my substitute and puts his obedience to my account. My soul, thou hast a friend well fitted to be thine advocate, he cannot but succeed; leave thyself entirely in his hands. Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 Corinthians 12:6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.1 Chronicles 12:19,21 From Manasseh also some defected to David when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines after consultation sent him away, saying, "At the cost of our heads he may defect to his master Saul." • They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the army. 1 Corinthians 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Chronicles 12:32 Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command. 1 Corinthians 12:8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 1 Chronicles 12:33 Of Zebulun, there were 50,000 who went out in the army, who could draw up in battle formation with all kinds of weapons of war and helped David with an undivided heart. James 1:8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 1 Corinthians 12:25,26 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. • And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Ephesians 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 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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