Bible League: Living His Word God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient.We did not choose God. God chose us. The Bible says that "Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us" (Romans 5:8). We have nothing, therefore, to brag about. We did not become the people of God because of something virtuous or special about us. We were still sinners, yet God loved us and saved us through Jesus Christ. Given this, the life we live in Christ should have certain characteristics. First, we should be merciful. God showed us mercy and saved us while we were still sinners. It would be deeply wrong to receive God's mercy and then treat other people unmercifully. Jesus told the story of the evil servant who received mercy from his king and then refused to give mercy to another servant. When the king heard about this, it did not go well for him (Matthew 18:21-35). We should be kind. God showed us kindness and made us His holy people. He had every right to reject us and condemn us, but He showed us kindness instead. As a result, we should reflect the kindness of our kind God. We should be humble. The Apostle Paul said that God "chose what the world thinks is not important--what the world hates and thinks is nothing. He chose these to destroy what the world thinks is important. God did this so that no one can stand before him and boast about anything" (I Corinthians 1:28-29). For the Christian, pride is simply out of the question. We should be gentle. God was gentle with us. He could have been harsh with us. He could have punished us, but He didn't. We should, therefore, be gentle in our dealings with other people. Finally, we should be patient. Psalm 103:8 says that "The Lord is kind and merciful. He is patient and full of love." Just as God was and is patient with us, so should we be patient with those around us. In a world full of unmerciful, unkind, proud, harsh, and impatient people, let us always reflect the loving nature of our gracious God. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Samuel 22, 23, 24 1 Samuel 22 -- Saul Slays the Priests of Nob NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Samuel 23 -- David Saves Keilah, Flees from Saul NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Samuel 24 -- David Spares Saul's Life NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 16:1-18 Luke 16 -- The Parables of the Shrewd Manager, and the Rich Man and Lazarus NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson;if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser. Insight There is a great difference between the person who learns from criticism and the person who refuses to accept correction. How we respond to criticism determines whether or not we grow in wisdom. Challenge The next time someone criticizes you, listen carefully to all that is said. You might learn something. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Hebrews 12:24 Ye are come to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.Reader, have you come to the blood of sprinkling? The question is not whether you have come to a knowledge of doctrine, or an observance of ceremonies, or to a certain form of experience, but have you come to the blood of Jesus? The blood of Jesus is the life of all vital godliness. If you have truly come to Jesus, we know how you came--the Holy Spirit sweetly brought you there. You came to the blood of sprinkling with no merits of your own. Guilty, lost, and helpless, you came to take that blood, and that blood alone, as your everlasting hope. You came to the cross of Christ, with a trembling and an aching heart; and oh! what a precious sound it was to you to hear the voice of the blood of Jesus! The dropping of his blood is as the music of heaven to the penitent sons of earth. We are full of sin, but the Saviour bids us lift our eyes to him, and as we gaze upon his streaming wounds, each drop of blood, as it falls, cries, "It is finished; I have made an end of sin; I have brought in everlasting righteousness." Oh! sweet language of the precious blood of Jesus! If you have come to that blood once, you will come to it constantly. Your life will be "Looking unto Jesus." Your whole conduct will be epitomized in this--"To whom coming." Not to whom I have come, but to whom I am always coming. If thou hast ever come to the blood of sprinkling, thou wilt feel thy need of coming to it every day. He who does not desire to wash in it every day, has never washed in it at all. The believer ever feels it to be his joy and privilege that there is still a fountain opened. Past experiences are doubtful food for Christians; a present coming to Christ alone can give us joy and comfort. This morning let us sprinkle our door-post fresh with blood, and then feast upon the Lamb, assured that the destroying angel must pass us by. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 50:23 "He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God."Colossians 3:16,17 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. • Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. 1 Corinthians 6:20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. Psalm 34:2,3 My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice. • O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. 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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