Morning, May 31
Jump to: BLTyndaleSpurgeonDaily LightRdg plan


Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness.  — 2 Samuel 15:23
Bible League: Living His Word
"How long will these evil people continue to complain against me? I have heard their complaints and their griping."
— Numbers 14:27 ERV

The people of Israel were about to enter the promised land. Before they did, the Lord told Moses to send twelve spies to explore and study the land. When they returned from their expedition, ten of the spies gave a bad report about the Israelite's prospects for the conquest of the land. They said, "The people living there are very powerful. The cities are very large and strongly defended." They also said, "We cannot fight those people... We saw the giant Nephilim people there... We felt like little grasshoppers. Yes, we were like grasshoppers to them!" (Numbers 13:28-33).

That's when the people began the complaining and griping mentioned in our verse for today. They said, "We should have died in Egypt or in the desert. Did the LORD bring us to this new land to be killed in war? The enemy will kill us and take our wives and children! It would be better for us to go back to Egypt," (Numbers 14:2-3). Despite the fact that Caleb, one of the twelve spies, said to them "We can easily take that land," they even took steps to select a leader to replace Moses and lead them back to Egypt (Numbers 14:4).

You have an opportunity to grumble and complain as well. You may be working your way through your own version of the wilderness. The wilderness isn't easy; there are many trials and tribulations to go through. There are enemies that must be taken on and they may seem like giants.

Don't give in to the temptation to grumble and complain. Trust your Leader. The Israelites had Moses and Joshua, but we have King Jesus. He sustains us in the wilderness.
Bible in a Year
Old Testament Reading
2 Chronicles 1, 2, 3


2 Chronicles 1 -- Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom at Gibeon

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


2 Chronicles 2 -- Solomon Prepares to Build a Temple and Palace

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


2 Chronicles 3 -- Solomon Builds the Temple in Jerusalem

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


New Testament Reading
John 12:1-19


John 12 -- Jesus Anointed at Bethany; Enters Jerusalem; Sought by Greeks; Foretells His Death

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library.
Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion
God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
        for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn,
        for they will be comforted.
        God blesses those who are humble,
        for they will inherit the whole earth.
Insight
Jesus began his sermon with words that seem to contradict each other. But God's way of living usually contradicts the world's.
Challenge
If you want to live for God, you must be ready to say and do what seems strange to the world. You must be willing to give when others take, to love when others hate, to help when others abuse. By giving up your own rights in order to serve others, you will one day receive everything God has in store for you.
Morning and Evening by Spurgeon
2 Samuel 15:23  The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron.

David passed that gloomy brook when flying with his mourning company from his traitor son. The man after God's own heart was not exempt from trouble, nay, his life was full of it. He was both the Lord's Anointed, and the Lord's Afflicted. Why then should we expect to escape? At sorrow's gates the noblest of our race have waited with ashes on their heads; wherefore then should we complain as though some strange thing had happened unto us?

The King of kings himself was not favored with a more cheerful or royal road. He passed over the filthy ditch of Kidron, through which the filth of Jerusalem flowed. God had one Son without sin, but not a single child without the rod. It is a great joy to believe that Jesus has been tempted in all points like as we are. What is our Kidron this morning? Is it a faithless friend, a sad bereavement, a slanderous reproach, a dark foreboding? The King has passed over all these. Is it bodily pain, poverty, persecution, or contempt? Over each of these Kidrons the King has gone before us. "In all our afflictions he was afflicted." The idea of strangeness in our trials must be banished at once and forever, for he who is the Head of all saints, knows by experience the grief which we think so peculiar. All the citizens of Zion must be free of the Honourable Company of Mourners, of which the Prince Immanuel is Head and Captain.

Notwithstanding the abasement of David, he yet returned in triumph to his city, and David's Lord arose victorious from the grave; let us then be of good courage, for we also shall win the day. We shall yet with joy draw water out of the wells of salvation, though now for a season we have to pass by the noxious streams of sin and sorrow. Courage, soldiers of the Cross, the King himself triumphed after going over Kidron, and so shall you.

Daily Light on the Daily Path
Genesis 32:28  He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed."

Hosea 12:3,4  In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And in his maturity he contended with God. • Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; He wept and sought His favor. He found Him at Bethel And there He spoke with us,

Romans 4:20  yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,

Mark 11:22-24  And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God. • "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. • "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

Mark 9:23  And Jesus said to him, "'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes."

Luke 1:45  "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."

Luke 17:5  The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"

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 May 30
Top of Page
Top of Page