Bible League: Living His Word Don't brag about tomorrow,since you don't know what the day will bring. Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth-- a stranger, not your own lips. Humility is an essential and fundamental quality of the Christian life. It is essential and fundamental because of the position human beings have in the great scheme of things. God is the sovereign ruler over all creation. We exist in the creation that He made. Although He made us in His image and placed us in a position above all other creatures (Genesis 1:26-28), we are still subject to His divine providential control. He determines the story of creation and He determines the story of our lives within His creation. True humility, then, recognizes and acknowledges the subservient place we have in the great scheme of things. Although we may think we know what the day will bring, we can make no guarantees. As the Proverb says, "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps" (Proverbs 16:9). And that's why James warned us not to boast about tomorrow. Instead, he said we should say, '"If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that"' (James 4:15). After all, unlike the sovereign and eternal God who controls all things, our lives are "like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone" (James 4:14). The true humility that recognizes and acknowledges our subservient place also knows that boasting about one's accomplishments does not properly reflect our status in reality. Although there may be occasions when public acknowledgment of one's accomplishments is necessary for personal vindication or for the edification of others, as was the case with Paul and the Corinthian church (II Corinthians 11:12), gratuitous boasting has no place in God's Kingdom. We are dependent creatures. We are dependent upon God for everything we have and everything we are. Instead of boasting about ourselves, then, we should boast about God (II Corinthians 10:17). Paul said, "When people commend themselves, it doesn't count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them." (II Corinthians 10:18). One of the ways that the Lord can do this is by having others – strangers even – praise us. And in the next life, of course, the Lord Himself will do the job personally (I Corinthians 4:5). We don't have to brag about tomorrow or praise ourselves. God can see to it that we get the acknowledgement and the encouragement we need. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 31, 32, 33 Psalm 31 -- In you, O Lord, I take refuge. Let me never be disappointed. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 32 -- Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 33 -- Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous! Praise is fitting for the upright. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 21:15-40 Acts 21 -- Paul Sails from Miletus to Jerusalem, Seized in the Temple NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” Insight Jesus was speaking to people who put extremely high value on family ties. Their genealogies were important guarantees that they were part of God's chosen people. A man's value came from his ancestors, and a woman's value came from the sons she bore. Jesus' response to the woman meant that a person's obedience to God is more important than his or her place on the family tree. Challenge The patient work of consistent obedience is even more important than the honor of bearing a respected son. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Ephesians 1:14 The earnest of our inheritance.Oh! what enlightenment, what joys, what consolation, what delight of heart is experienced by that man who has learned to feed on Jesus, and on Jesus alone. Yet the realization which we have of Christ's preciousness is, in this life, imperfect at the best. As an old writer says, "'Tis but a taste!" We have tasted "that the Lord is gracious," but we do not yet know how good and gracious he is, although what we know of his sweetness makes us long for more. We have enjoyed the firstfruits of the Spirit, and they have set us hungering and thirsting for the fulness of the heavenly vintage. We groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption. Here we are like Israel in the wilderness, who had but one cluster from Eshcol, there we shall be in the vineyard. Here we see the manna falling small, like coriander seed, but there shall we eat the bread of heaven and the old corn of the kingdom. We are but beginners now in spiritual education; for although we have learned the first letters of the alphabet, we cannot read words yet, much less can we put sentences together; but as one says, "He that has been in heaven but five minutes, knows more than the general assembly of divines on earth." We have many ungratified desires at present, but soon every wish shall be satisfied; and all our powers shall find the sweetest employment in that eternal world of joy. O Christian, antedate heaven for a few years. Within a very little time thou shalt be rid of all thy trials and thy troubles. Thine eyes now suffused with tears shall weep no longer. Thou shalt gaze in ineffable rapture upon the splendour of him who sits upon the throne. Nay, more, upon his throne shalt thou sit. The triumph of his glory shall be shared by thee; his crown, his joy, his paradise, these shall be thine, and thou shalt be co-heir with him who is the heir of all things. Daily Light on the Daily Path John 17:16 "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." Hebrews 7:26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; Philippians 2:15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, Acts 10:38 "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Galatians 6:10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. John 1:9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. Matthew 5:14,16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; • "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. 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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