Bible League: Living His Word And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.— Exodus 13:21 ESV When the Israelites were slaves in Egypt there was no pillar of cloud or pillar of fire to lead them along the way. Why not? It's because they were not going anywhere. They were stuck where they were. They were stuck in a life of sin and slavery. If the Lord had shown up and given them a sign that showed them the way, they probably would not have been spiritually mature enough to have followed it. Indeed, they probably would not have even realized that they were being given a sign. Spiritually immature as they were, signs would have been wasted on them. Once they broke free from their Egyptians slavery, however, signs became important. The Lord showed up and showed them the way. He did it with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. That way they could travel by day or by night. The point is, the Lord was leading them night and day. If the pillars did not move, then the Israelites knew that they should not move from that place. If the pillars began moving again, the people knew it was time to break camp and follow them (Exodus 40:36-38). There was a time when the leading of the Lord would have been wasted on you as well. Although you were a Christian, you were still caught up in the sin and slavery of your personal Egyptian experience and too immature to have followed the Lord anywhere. When you finally broke free from Egypt, however, everything changed. It's a difficult journey from Egypt to the Promised Land and now you need all the guidance you can get. You may not see any pillars up ahead of you, but the Lord is leading you just the same. Indeed, just as He did for the Israelites, He's leading you night and day. If you want to make it to the Promised Land, then you must pay heed to His direction. If you want to make it, then you'll move when the Lord moves, and you'll stop when the Lord stops. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Samuel 10, 11, 12 1 Samuel 10 -- Saul becomes King NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Samuel 11 -- Saul Rescues Jabesh from the Ammonites; Saul Confirmed as King NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Samuel 12 -- Samuel testifies to Israel; God sends Thunder and Israel Repents NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 13:22-35 Luke 13 -- Call to Repent; Healing on the Sabbath; Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast; Enter by the Narrow Door NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Pride goes before destruction,and haughtiness before a fall. Insight Proud people take little account of their weaknesses and do not anticipate stumbling blocks. They think they are above the frailties of common people. In this state of mind they are easily tripped up. Ironically, proud people seldom realize that pride is their problem, although everyone around them is well aware of it. Challenge Ask someone you trust whether self-satisfaction has blinded you to warning signs. He or she may help you avoid a fall. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Nehemiah 3:15 The king's garden.Mention of the king's garden by Nehemiah brings to mind the paradise which the King of kings prepared for Adam. Sin has utterly ruined that fair abode of all delights, and driven forth the children of men to till the ground, which yields thorns and briers unto them. My soul, remember the fall, for it was thy fall. Weep much because the Lord of love was so shamefully ill-treated by the head of the human race, of which thou art a member, as undeserving as any. Behold how dragons and demons dwell on this fair earth, which once was a garden of delights. See yonder another King's garden, which the King waters with his bloody sweat--Gethsemane, whose bitter herbs are sweeter far to renewed souls than even Eden's luscious fruits. There the mischief of the serpent in the first garden was undone: there the curse was lifted from earth, and borne by the woman's promised seed. My soul, bethink thee much of the agony and the passion; resort to the garden of the olive-press, and view thy great Redeemer rescuing thee from thy lost estate. This is the garden of gardens indeed, wherein the soul may see the guilt of sin and the power of love, two sights which surpass all others. Is there no other King's garden? Yes, my heart, thou art, or shouldst be such. How do the flowers flourish? Do any choice fruits appear? Does the King walk within, and rest in the bowers of my spirit? Let me see that the plants are trimmed and watered, and the mischievous foxes hunted out. Come, Lord, and let the heavenly wind blow at thy coming, that the spices of thy garden may flow abroad. Nor must I forget the King's garden of the church. O Lord, send prosperity unto it. Rebuild her walls, nourish her plants, ripen her fruits, and from the huge wilderness, reclaim the barren waste, and make thereof "a King's garden." Daily Light on the Daily Path Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,Romans 3:10,12 as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; • ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE." Ecclesiastes 7:20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. Job 25:4 "How then can a man be just with God? Or how can he be clean who is born of woman? Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. Psalm 51:3,5 For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. • Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 2 Samuel 12:13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. Romans 8:30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. Colossians 1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. 1 Thessalonians 2:12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. 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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