Morning, February 8
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Bible League: Living His Word
. . . you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for
"God opposes the proud
    but gives grace to the humble."
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

It is difficult for a proud person to submit to authority. Pride prevents submission because the proud person thinks so highly of himself that he believes he should never have to submit to proper authority, never have to suffer the indignity and inconvenience of submission.

The trouble with this attitude, however, is that it incurs the opposition of God. There is a reason that the expression "Pride goes before a fall," based on Proverbs 16:18, is commonly used. It's because it happens so often. Pride seems to be an attitude that spurs God on to active opposition to the prideful person.

But why, you might ask? Why does God care so much about the attitude of the proud? The reason is that God is the sovereign ruler of heaven and earth. Part of His rule is effectuated through His properly designated authorities in the various social institutions He has established. The proud person challenges the chain of command. In effect, he is opposing God's sovereign rule and God does not sit idly by. Rather, He opposes the proud. Sooner or later there will be an accounting; sooner or later there will be a fall.

Perhaps pride is a factor in your life. Perhaps you worry that submission to authority will not work out well for you. The corrective to this concern, the Apostle Peter tells us, is to cast your cares on God, because He cares about you. The corrective is to humble yourself before God, instead of fighting against Him. The reward for this turnabout in attitude is the exact opposite of what the proud receive. Instead of a fall, there is a lifting up. Instead of disfavor, there is favor. At the proper time, authority will be yours and you will not have to struggle against God and man to get it.

Bible in a Year
Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 4, 5, 6


Leviticus 4 -- Sin Offerings

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Leviticus 5 -- Guilt Offerings

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Leviticus 6 -- Regulations for Burnt, Grain and Sin Offerings

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


New Testament Reading
Matthew 25:1-30


Matthew 25 -- Parables of Ten Virgins, Talents, Sheep and Goats

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library.
Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion
The LORD's promises are pure,
        like silver refined in a furnace,
        purified seven times over.
Insight
Sincerity and truth are extremely valuable because they are so rare. Many people are deceivers, liars, flatterers; they think they will get what they want by deception. As a king, David certainly faced his share of such people, who hoped to win his favor and gain advancement through flattery.
Challenge
When we feel as though sincerity and truth have nearly gone out of existence, we have one hope—the Word of God. God's words are as flawless as refined silver. So listen carefully when he speaks.
Morning and Evening by Spurgeon
Matthew 1:21  Thou shalt call his name Jesus.

When a person is dear, everything connected with him becomes dear for his sake. Thus, so precious is the person of the Lord Jesus in the estimation of all true believers, that everything about him they consider to be inestimable beyond all price. "All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia," said David, as if the very vestments of the Saviour were so sweetened by his person that he could not but love them. Certain it is, that there is not a spot where that hallowed foot hath trodden--there is not a word which those blessed lips have uttered--nor a thought which his loving Word has revealed--which is not to us precious beyond all price. And this is true of the names of Christ--they are all sweet in the believer's ear. Whether he be called the Husband of the Church, her Bridegroom, her Friend; whether he be styled the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world--the King, the Prophet, or the Priest--every title of our Master--Shiloh, Emmanuel, Wonderful, the Mighty Counsellor--every name is like the honeycomb dropping with honey, and luscious are the drops that distil from it. But if there be one name sweeter than another in the believer's ear, it is the name of Jesus. Jesus! it is the name which moves the harps of heaven to melody. Jesus! the life of all our joys. If there be one name more charming, more precious than another, it is this name. It is woven into the very warp and woof of our psalmody. Many of our hymns begin with it, and scarcely any, that are good for anything, end without it. It is the sum total of all delights. It is the music with which the bells of heaven ring; a song in a word; an ocean for comprehension, although a drop for brevity; a matchless oratorio in two syllables; a gathering up of the hallelujahs of eternity in five letters.

"Jesus, I love thy charming name,

'Tis music to mine ear."

Daily Light on the Daily Path
John 15:15  "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Genesis 18:17  The LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

Matthew 13:11  Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

1 Corinthians 2:10  For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

1 Corinthians 2:7  but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;

Psalm 65:4  How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You To dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple.

Psalm 25:14  The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant.

John 17:8  for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.

John 15:14  "You are My friends if you do what I command you.

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.

Evening February 7
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