Bible League: Living His Word So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.— Hebrews 4:14 NLT True Christians believe that the Bible is the Word of God and that all its teachings are true. We believe that God is the creator of all things. We believe that human beings were made in His image and should have dominion over the rest of the creation. We believe that human beings have fallen into disobedience before God. We believe that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to get right with God again, the only way to get saved. We believe that at some point in the future Jesus will return to earth and finish this work of salvation. Further, we believe that God is concerned with, and takes care of, everyone who believes these things. There is temptation to stop believing these things or to stop emphasizing certain teachings in order to placate worldly people. Satan and his henchmen are enemies of God, since they are in total rebellion against Him. They do everything they can to subvert His plans and purposes for creation and for human beings in particular. Above all, they do not want anyone to believe what the Bible teaches, and they do not want anyone to get saved and receive all the benefits and blessings salvation entails. So, they create controversy to keep people from believing, and they try to steal away the belief of those who are already converted. Despite this opposition and temptation, Christians that believe these things should hold on to their beliefs. When Satan tries to put thoughts in our minds that are at odds with the Bible, when he tries to put words in our mouths that are wrong, we must stand firm in our faith. Why? It's because we have Jesus, our great High Priest, who has entered heaven and represents us before our Father in heaven. He won't abandon us or fail to represent us vigorously. He knows the temptations that we face, and He knows what to do to help us. Given His representation, we may boldly come before the Father with our requests for help in our times of need. We should stand firm because we don't stand alone. We have the help we need to make it. Therefore, hold onto what you believe. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 73, 74 Psalm 73 -- BOOK 3: Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 74 -- God, why have you rejected us forever? NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Romans 5 Romans 5 -- Peace with God; Joy in Our Hope; Through Christ Many Will Live NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.Insight All who welcome Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives are reborn spiritually, receiving new life from God. Through faith in Christ, this new birth changes us from the inside out—rearranging our attitudes, desires, and motives. Being born makes you physically alive and places you in your parents' family. Being born of God makes you spiritually alive and puts you in God's family. Challenge Have you asked Christ to make you a new person? This fresh start in life is available to all who believe in Christ. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Haggai 2:17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labors of your hands.How destructive is the hail to the standing crops, beating out the precious grain upon the ground! How grateful ought we to be when the corn is spared so terrible a ruin! Let us offer unto the Lord thanksgiving. Even more to be dreaded are those mysterious destroyers--smut, bunt, rust, and mildew. These turn the ear into a mass of soot, or render it putrid, or dry up the grain, and all in a manner so beyond all human control that the farmer is compelled to cry, "This is the finger of God." Innumerable minute fungi cause the mischief, and were it not for the goodness of God, the rider on the black horse would soon scatter famine over the land. Infinite mercy spares the food of men, but in view of the active agents which are ready to destroy the harvest, right wisely are we taught to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." The curse is abroad; we have constant need of the blessing. When blight and mildew come they are chastisements from heaven, and men must learn to bear the rod, and him that hath appointed it. Spiritually, mildew is no uncommon evil. When our work is most promising this blight appears. We hoped for many conversions, and lo! a general apathy, an abounding worldliness, or a cruel hardness of heart! There may be no open sin in those for whom we are laboring, but there is a deficiency of sincerity and decision sadly disappointing our desires. We learn from this our dependence upon the Lord, and the need of prayer that no blight may fall upon our work. Spiritual pride or sloth will soon bring upon us the dreadful evil, and only the Lord of the harvest can remove it. Mildew may even attack our own hearts, and shrivel our prayers and religious exercises. May it please the great Husbandman to avert so serious a calamity. Shine, blessed Sun of Righteousness, and drive the blights away. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 18:16 He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.Psalm 40:2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. Ephesians 2:1,3 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, • Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. Psalm 61:1,2 For the choir director; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God; Give heed to my prayer. • From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Jonah 2:2,3 and he said, "I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice. • "For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. Psalm 66:12 You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance. Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. 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. |
    |