Bible League: Living His Word Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.Things don't always work out the way we want in life. Sometimes, instead of the blessings that were promised, we see problems. Sometimes, instead of the victories that were guaranteed, we see defeats. What should a person of faith do under such circumstances? Should we give up? Should we quit the calling that has led us to this point? After all, things haven't gone according to plan; things haven't gone the way God said they would go. Is it time to finally allow despair into our hearts? Indeed, things may even degenerate to the point where there seems to be no possibility of return. We may even approach death. What should we do then? Stop believing in God altogether? Stop having faith in Him? If the promises of God have no cachet in this life, then what's the point of life anyway? If we seek His presence and it doesn't translate into anything concrete, then what's the point of seeking His presence at all? For the person of faith, however, none of these options have any real meaning or bearing. When it comes to faith in God, it's an all or nothing proposition. There is no other option. There is no alternative to faith in God. We can't exercise any of these other options because we know God. We know that despite everything He has our best interests at heart. We know that He is on our side. We can't, as a result, give up on Him. Thus, though there seems no hope of victory, though death rears its ugly head, we trust in God. We're not in it to simply get things for ourselves. We're not in it just to live and not die. We're in it because we believe in God. We can't help ourselves. We have made the decision to follow Him and rely on Him and there is no turning back. Death may swallow us up, but we trust Him to lead us through it to victory on the other side. Today, meditate on the words of Job: "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him." There is probably nothing you are going through that supersedes what Job went through, yet he never gave up hope. There is always hope. There is always, therefore, hope for you. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 116-118 Psalm 116 -- I love the Lord, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 117 -- Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples! NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 118 -- Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his loving kindness endures forever. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 Corinthians 2 1 Corinthians 2 -- Reliance upon the Holy Spirit NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”Insight Any trial a believer faces can ultimately bring glory to God because God can bring good out of any bad situation. Challenge When trouble comes, do you grumble, complain, and blame God, or do you see your problems as opportunities to honor him? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Nehemiah 3:8 And they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.Cities well fortified have broad walls, and so had Jerusalem in her glory. The New Jerusalem must, in like manner, be surrounded and preserved by a broad wall of nonconformity to the world, and separation from its customs and spirit. The tendency of these days break down the holy barrier, and make the distinction between the church and the world merely nominal. Professors are no longer strict and Puritanical, questionable literature is read on all hands, frivolous pastimes are currently indulged, and a general laxity threatens to deprive the Lord's peculiar people of those sacred singularities which separate them from sinners. It will be an ill day for the church and the world when the proposed amalgamation shall be complete, and the sons of God and the daughters of men shall be as one: then shall another deluge of wrath be ushered in. Beloved reader, be it your aim in heart, in word, in dress, in action to maintain the broad wall, remembering that the friendship of this world is enmity against God. The broad wall afforded a pleasant place of resort for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, from which they could command prospects of the surrounding country. This reminds us of the Lord's exceeding broad commandments, in which we walk at liberty in communion with Jesus, overlooking the scenes of earth, and looking out towards the glories of heaven. Separated from the world, and denying ourselves all ungodliness and fleshly lusts, we are nevertheless not in prison, nor restricted within narrow bounds; nay, we walk at liberty, because we keep his precepts. Come, reader, this evening walk with God in his statutes. As friend met friend upon the city wall, so meet thou thy God in the way of holy prayer and meditation. The bulwarks of salvation thou hast a right to traverse, for thou art a freeman of the royal burgh, a citizen of the metropolis of the universe. Daily Light on the Daily Path Proverbs 24:10 If you are slack in the day of distress, Your strength is limited.Isaiah 40:29 He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. 2 Corinthians 12:9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Psalm 91:15 "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. Deuteronomy 33:27 "The eternal God is a dwelling place, And underneath are the everlasting arms; And He drove out the enemy from before you, And said, 'Destroy!' Psalm 69:20 Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, And for comforters, but I found none. Hebrews 5:1,2,5,8,9 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; • he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; • So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, "YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU"; • Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. • And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, Isaiah 53:4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 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. |