Bible League: Living His Word Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping--believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, "That's how many descendants you will have!" And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead--and so was Sarah's womb.God had made a promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and Abraham believed God. Abraham was a man of faith. Hebrews 11:1 says that "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Although there was no earthly reason to believe that God's promise would come to pass, Abraham believed God anyway. Abraham is one of the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11. Like the other heroes listed there, he serves as a model and inspiration for our own faith. God still speaks to His people. He speaks to us through the Bible, through an inner witness of the Spirit, through other people, through circumstances, and so on. When we believe He has spoken to us personally about the future course of our lives we can look to the heroes of faith and learn from them. One of the things we can learn from Abraham's story is that the promise will not always look like it is going to come to pass. In Abraham's case, his body and Sarah's body were as good as dead. So likewise, there will be times in our own lives when what we believe God has promised will not look like it is going to come to pass. These are times of testing when there will be temptations to doubt God. Satan uses these times to try and get us to disobey God by giving up and refusing to press on toward the goal. When these attacks of the enemy come to us, we should follow the example of Abraham. Although there may be no reason for hope, we should keep on hoping anyway. We should ignore the circumstances that allow doubt and unbelief into our hearts and put our trust in the God "who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading2 Kings 18, 19 2 Kings 18 -- Hezekiah Rules over Judah, Destroys Idolatry NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 2 Kings 19 -- Isaiah Foretells Jerusalem's Deliverance; Hezekiah's Prayer and God's Answer NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 6:22-44 John 6 -- Jesus Feeds Five Thousand, Walks on Water; "I am the Resurrection"; Many Desert Jesus; Peter Confesses Christ NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign LORD. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.Insight God is a God of love, but he is also a God of perfect justice. His perfect love causes him to be merciful to those who recognize their sin and turn back to him, but he cannot wink at those who willfully sin. Wicked people die both physically and spiritually. God takes no joy in their deaths; he would prefer that they turn to him and have eternal life. Challenge Likewise, we should not rejoice in the misfortunes of nonbelievers. Instead, we should do all in our power to bring them to faith. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 1 John 2:6 So to walk even as he walked.Why should Christians imitate Christ? They should do it for their own sakes. If they desire to be in a healthy state of soul--if they would escape the sickness of sin, and enjoy the vigor of growing grace, let Jesus be their model. For their own happiness' sake, if they would drink wine on the lees, well refined; if they would enjoy holy and happy communion with Jesus; if they would be lifted up above the cares and troubles of this world, let them walk even as he walked. There is nothing which can so assist you to walk towards heaven with good speed, as wearing the image of Jesus on your heart to rule all its motions. It is when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you are enabled to walk with Jesus in his very footsteps, that you are most happy, and most known to be the sons of God. Peter afar off is both unsafe and uneasy. Next, for religion's sake, strive to be like Jesus. Ah! poor religion, thou hast been sorely shot at by cruel foes, but thou hast not been wounded one-half so dangerously by thy foes as by thy friends. Who made those wounds in the fair hand of Godliness? The professor who used the dagger of hypocrisy. The man who with pretences, enters the fold, being nought but a wolf in sheep's clothing, worries the flock more than the lion outside. There is no weapon half so deadly as a Judas-kiss. Inconsistent professors injure the gospel more than the sneering critic or the infidel. But, especially for Christ's own sake, imitate his example. Christian, lovest thou thy Saviour? Is his name precious to thee? Is his cause dear to thee? Wouldst thou see the kingdoms of the world become his? Is it thy desire that he should be glorified? Art thou longing that souls should be won to him? If so, imitate Jesus; be an "epistle of Christ, known and read of all men." Daily Light on the Daily Path Ezekiel 20:19 'I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and observe them.1 Peter 1:15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 1 John 2:6,29 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. • If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him. 1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, Psalm 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall observe it to the end. Philippians 2:12,13 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; • for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Hebrews 13:20,21 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, • equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 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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