Bible League: Living His Word I myself am the LORD, and there is no other Savior. I am the one who spoke to you, saved you, and told you those things.Just as the Lord saved and delivered the ancient Israelites from the Babylonian Captivity, the Lord has saved and delivered you from the captivity of sin and trouble you have brought down on yourself. When He said: '''Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind. Bring out the people who have ears but are deaf''' (Isaiah 43:8), you finally heard what He said and finally saw what He was doing. You came forth from the sickness of your sin and the hopelessness of your misery and were healed. Further, just like the Israelites, the Lord has spoken special words to you. He has told you that He loves you, that you are precious to Him, and that He has given you a special place of honor among the people of the earth (Isaiah 43:4). He has said to you, '"When you have troubles, I am with you. When you cross rivers, you will not be hurt. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not hurt you'" (Isaiah 43:2). You have heard what He said and you have believed Him. He gave you the confidence you needed to go forth in life. It was the Lord who did all this. It was the Lord and no one else. The Lord, whose name in this verse is the Hebrew word "Yahweh," that is, "I AM." The name was so holy to the ancient Israelites that they never spoke it, even when they read their own Scriptures which contained it. As with our verses for today, many English translators follow this respect for the name and translate the Hebrew word as "Lord," even though that's not what it really means. It is this holy God, and Him alone, that has saved you and spoken to you. No other god could do this, because no other god exists. No other god is "I AM." God's name reflects His self-existence. The Bible has no story of how He came to be. He just is. He does not depend upon anything for His existence. Indeed, everything else depends upon Him. All other God-substitutes are merely the figments of sinful human imagination. Thus, if you want to be saved and if you want some special words spoken to you, you will have to turn to the God that actually exists. You will have to turn to "I AM." Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJeremiah 7, 8 Jeremiah 7 -- Jeremiah's Message at the Temple Gate; Valley of Slaughter NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Jeremiah 8 -- The Calamity of the Jews NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 Timothy 2 1 Timothy 2 -- Instructions on Petitions, Prayers, and Intercessions; Instructions to Women NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion And “don't sin by letting anger control you.” Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. Insight The Bible doesn't tell us that we shouldn't feel angry, but it points out that it is important to handle our anger properly. If vented thoughtlessly, anger can hurt others and destroy relationships. If bottled up inside, it can cause us to become bitter and destroy us from within. Paul tells us to deal with our anger immediately in a way that builds relationships rather than destroys them. Challenge If we nurse our anger, we will give Satan an opportunity to divide us. Are you angry with someone right now? What can you do to resolve your differences? Don't let the day end before you begin to work on mending your relationship. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Hosea 14:4 I will love them freely.This sentence is a body of divinity in miniature. He who understands its meaning is a theologian, and he who can dive into its fulness is a true master in Israel. It is a condensation of the glorious message of salvation which was delivered to us in Christ Jesus our Redeemer. The sense hinges upon the word "freely." This is the glorious, the suitable, the divine way by which love streams from heaven to earth, a spontaneous love flowing forth to those who neither deserved it, purchased it, nor sought after it. It is, indeed, the only way in which God can love such as we are. The text is a death-blow to all sorts of fitness: "I will love them freely." Now, if there were any fitness necessary in us, then he would not love us freely; at least, this would be a mitigation and a drawback to the freeness of it. But it stands, "I will love you freely." We complain, "Lord, my heart is so hard." "I will love you freely." "But I do not feel my need of Christ as I could wish." "I will not love you because you feel your need; I will love you freely." "But I do not feel that softening of spirit which I could desire." Remember, the softening of spirit is not a condition, for there are no conditions; the covenant of grace has no conditionality whatever; so that we without any fitness may venture upon the promise of God which was made to us in Christ Jesus, when he said, "He that believeth on him is not condemned." It is blessed to know that the grace of God is free to us at all times, without preparation, without fitness, without money, and without price! "I will love them freely." These words invite backsliders to return: indeed, the text was specially written for such--"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely." Backslider! surely the generosity of the promise will at once break your heart, and you will return, and seek your injured Father's face. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 108:1 A Song, a Psalm of David. My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul.Psalm 27:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? Isaiah 26:3 "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. Psalm 112:7,8 He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. • His heart is upheld, he will not fear, Until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries. Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. Psalm 27:5,6 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. • And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. 1 Peter 5:10,11 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. • To Him be dominion 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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