Bible League: Living His Word Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.— Psalm 136:26 ESV Thank you, Lord, for always being there when I need you. There is no one I can count on like I can count on you. You are my "refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." That's why I don't fall into fear, "... though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling" (Psalm 46:1-3). I can handle every situation, no matter how difficult, because you are there for me. Thank you, Lord, for always watching over me and protecting me. You keep track of me. Your eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth in order to watch over me and to support me when I need it (2 Chronicles 16:9). You protect me when enemies looking for trouble come my way. "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savoir; you save me from violence... I am saved from my enemies" (2 Samuel 22:2-4). Thank you, Lord, for always listening to me. "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer" (1 Peter 3:12). I can ask things of you, I can seek them from you, and I can knock on your door and you will answer me. As if that were not enough, "everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened" (Matthew 7:8). My cries for help are not in vain; they do not fall on deaf ears. Thank you, Lord, for always loving me. You loved me so much that you gave your only Son for me, so that I will not perish and so I will have eternal life (John 3:16). Even though I was dead in my trespasses, your great love for me made me alive with Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-5). Indeed, you are always "... merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Psalm 86:15). Above all, thank you, Lord, that there is nothing that can separate me from your steadfast love (Romans 8:37-39). Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 136-138 Psalm 136 -- Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his loving kindness endures forever. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 137 -- By the rivers of Babylon we sat down, wept, remembered Zion. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 138 -- I will give you thanks with my whole heart. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 Corinthians 9 1 Corinthians 9 -- The Rights of an Apostle NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But the time is coming—indeed it's here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.Insight The disciples scattered after Jesus was arrested. Jesus accepted their statement of faith even though he knew their weakness. He knew they would have to grow into people whose words and lives matched even to the point of death. Challenge He takes us through the same process. How well are you living out what you say you believe about Jesus? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Isaiah 54:1 Sing, O barren.Though we have brought forth some fruit unto Christ, and have a joyful hope that we are "plants of his own right hand planting," yet there are times when we feel very barren. Prayer is lifeless, love is cold, faith is weak, each grace in the garden of our heart languishes and droops. We are like flowers in the hot sun, requiring the refreshing shower. In such a condition what are we to do? The text is addressed to us in just such a state. "Sing, O barren, break forth and cry aloud." But what can I sing about? I cannot talk about the present, and even the past looks full of barrenness. Ah! I can sing of Jesus Christ. I can talk of visits which the Redeemer has aforetimes paid to me; or if not of these, I can magnify the great love wherewith he loved his people when he came from the heights of heaven for their redemption. I will go to the cross again. Come, my soul, heavy laden thou wast once, and thou didst lose thy burden there. Go to Calvary again. Perhaps that very cross which gave thee life may give thee fruitfulness. What is my barrenness? It is the platform for his fruit-creating power. What is my desolation? It is the black setting for the sapphire of his everlasting love. I will go in poverty, I will go in helplessness, I will go in all my shame and backsliding, I will tell him that I am still his child, and in confidence in his faithful heart, even I, the barren one, will sing and cry aloud. Sing, believer, for it will cheer thine own heart, and the hearts of other desolate ones. Sing on, for now that thou art really ashamed of being barren, thou wilt be fruitful soon; now that God makes thee loath to be without fruit he will soon cover thee with clusters. The experience of our barrenness is painful, but the Lord's visitations are delightful. A sense of our own poverty drives us to Christ, and that is where we need to be, for in him is our fruit found. Daily Light on the Daily Path Genesis 2:9 Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.1 John 5:11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 5:21,26 "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. • "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; Revelation 2:7 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.' Revelation 22:2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Proverbs 3:13,16,18 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. • Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. • She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast. 1 Corinthians 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 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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