Morning, October 1
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Bible League: Living His Word
"This is the LORD's battle"

Our verse for today comes from the biblical story of David and Goliath. David had gone down from the camp of the Israelite army into the valley of Elah to meet the Philistine giant Goliath and engage him in battle. In faith David said to Goliath, "Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head" (I Samuel 17:46). David had faith because he knew whose battle it was. He knew that the struggle between the Philistine army and the Israelite army was the Lord's battle and the Lord would fight for him.

A battle does not have to be a military battle. In this troubled world of ours battles can break out in any area of life. However, there are two basic kinds of battle. There are the Lord's battles and there is every other battle. Before we descend into the valley of Elah we should ask ourselves first: whose battle is this? Is this a battle that the Lord wants to fight or is it something else? Is this a battle that the Lord has decided to get involved in so that His Kingdom will advance or is it just something that we have stirred up and want to happen?

It is important to ask ourselves this question because there isn't anything more vain and fruitless than to engage in a battle that has nothing to do with the Kingdom of God. Satan and his minions stir up battles all over the world and in every area of life and they do nothing more than take life to ever and ever lower levels of goodness and grace. Getting involved in battles like that is a waste of time, talent, and energy. Getting involved in battles like that does not inspire anyone to rise up in the faith of David.

On the other hand, there isn't anything more meaningful and fruitful than to engage in a battle that has everything to do with the Kingdom of God. When God and the armies of heaven engage in battle all over the world and in every area of life they take life to ever and ever higher levels of goodness and grace. Getting involved in battles like that is a profitable use of time, talent, and energy. Getting involved in battles like that can inspire one to rise up in the faith of David.

Today, then, ask yourself. Whose battle is this?

Bible in a Year
Old Testament Reading
Isaiah 22, 23


Isaiah 22 -- Prophecy about Jerusalem: The Valley of Vision

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Isaiah 23 -- The Burden of Tyre

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


New Testament Reading
Ephesians 3


Ephesians 3 -- Paul's Hopes and Prayers for the Ephesians

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library.
Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion
Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.
Insight
As the Corinthians awaited Paul's next visit, they were directed to (1) be on their guard against spiritual dangers, (2) stand firm in the faith, (3) behave courageously, (4) be strong, and (5) do everything with kindness and in love.
Challenge
Today, as we wait for the return of Christ, we should follow the same instructions.
Morning and Evening by Spurgeon
Songs 7:13  Pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.

The spouse desires to give to Jesus all that she produces. Our heart has "all manner of pleasant fruits," both "old and new," and they are laid up for our Beloved. At this rich autumnal season of fruit, let us survey our stores. We have new fruits. We desire to feel new life, new joy, new gratitude; we wish to make new resolves and carry them out by new labors; our heart blossoms with new prayers, and our soul is pledging herself to new efforts. But we have some old fruits too. There is our first love: a choice fruit that! and Jesus delights in it. There is our first faith: that simple faith by which, having nothing, we became possessors of all things. There is our joy when first we knew the Lord: let us revive it. We have our old remembrances of the promises. How faithful has God been! In sickness, how softly did he make our bed! In deep waters, how placidly did he buoy us up! In the flaming furnace, how graciously did he deliver us. Old fruits, indeed! We have many of them, for his mercies have been more than the hairs of our head. Old sins we must regret, but then we have had repentances which he has given us, by which we have wept our way to the cross, and learned the merit of his blood. We have fruits, this morning, both new and old; but here is the point--they are all laid up for Jesus. Truly, those are the best and most acceptable services in which Jesus is the solitary aim of the soul, and his glory, without any admixture whatever, the end of all our efforts. Let our many fruits be laid up only for our Beloved; let us display them when he is with us, and not hold them up before the gaze of men. Jesus, we will turn the key in our garden door, and none shall enter to rob thee of one good fruit from the soil which thou hast watered with thy bloody sweat. Our all shall be thine, thine only, O Jesus, our Beloved!

Daily Light on the Daily Path
Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

1 Corinthians 9:25-27  Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. • Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; • but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Ephesians 5:18  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

Matthew 16:24  Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

1 Thessalonians 5:6-8  so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. • For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. • But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

Titus 2:12,13  instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, • looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

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 September 30
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