Bible League: Living His Word In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. In many places the Bible teaches us that we should come before the LORD in prayer. When should we do this? Any time is a good time. The important thing is to find a time. In point of fact, however, there is no biblical rule that says it must be only one time. One Psalmist came before the LORD three times a day: "Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice" (Psalm 55:17). The Apostle Paul even said that we should "pray continually" (I Thessalonians 5:17). Our verse for today emphasizes prayer in the morning. Morning is a good time to come before the LORD in prayer. This is because one can get up before the hustle and bustle of the day begins and find a peaceful place to pray. In the morning, it is easier to get quiet before the LORD. In that peaceful and quiet place the LORD will hear our voice. The LORD is always ready to hear the prayers of His people, even early in the morning. In the morning we may lay our requests before the LORD. The idea here is that we may arrange our requests before the LORD in an orderly fashion. Like Job, we may even come before Him and make a case in defense of the requests we have (Job 23:4). After all, prayer is not simply a time to get whatever we want, no matter what that may be. It is a time to ask for what we believe the LORD is willing to grant His people. After we lay our requests before the LORD, we may wait expectantly. Prayer, in other words, should always be accompanied by expectation born of faith. Why bother to pray if we don't expect something to happen? Our prayers may not be immediately answered, but they will be in due time. Jesus said, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7). And He also said, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer" (Matthew 21:22). In the morning, when you lay your requests before the LORD, expect that they will be answered. Expect that something good will come from the LORD. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingProverbs 11, 12 Proverbs 11 -- A false balance is an abomination to the Lord NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Proverbs 12 -- Whoever loves correction loves knowledge; he who hates reproof is stupid. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 Corinthians 15:33-58 1 Corinthians 15 -- The Resurrection of Christ, the Dead and the Body NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion So God's message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.Insight The word of God spread like ripples on a pond where, from a single center, each wave touches the next, spreading wider and farther. The gospel still spreads this way today. Challenge You don't have to change the world single-handedly—it is enough just to be part of the wave, touching those around you, who in turn will touch others until all have felt the movement. Don't ever feel that your part is insignificant or unimportant. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Mark 2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.Faith is full of inventions. The house was full, a crowd blocked up the door, but faith found a way of getting at the Lord and placing the palsied man before him. If we cannot get sinners where Jesus is by ordinary methods we must use extraordinary ones. It seems, according to Luke 5:19, that a tiling had to be removed, which would make dust and cause a measure of danger to those below, but where the case is very urgent we must not mind running some risks and shocking some proprieties. Jesus was there to heal, and therefore fall what might, faith ventured all so that her poor paralyzed charge might have his sins forgiven. O that we had more daring faith among us! Cannot we, dear reader, seek it this morning for ourselves and for our fellow-workers, and will we not try today to perform some gallant act for the love of souls and the glory of the Lord. The world is constantly inventing; genius serves all the purposes of human desire: cannot faith invent too, and reach by some new means the outcasts who lie perishing around us? It was the presence of Jesus which excited victorious courage in the four bearers of the palsied man: is not the Lord among us now? Have we seen his face for ourselves this morning? Have we felt his healing power in our own souls? If so, then through door, through window, or through roof, let us, breaking through all impediments, labor to bring poor souls to Jesus. All means are good and decorous when faith and love are truly set on winning souls. If hunger for bread can break through stone walls, surely hunger for souls is not to be hindered in its efforts. O Lord, make us quick to suggest methods of reaching thy poor sin-sick ones, and bold to carry them out at all hazards. Daily Light on the Daily Path Romans 12:12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,Colossians 1:5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 1 Corinthians 15:19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." Luke 14:27 "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 1 Thessalonians 3:3 so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Peter 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, Romans 5:2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 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. |
Click for Video Devotionals     |