Bible League: Living His Word Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word... It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.— Psalm 119:67,71 NKJV "Before I was afflicted I went astray." Isn't this the way it always goes? All too often, when times are good, we let things slip. Instead of staying on the straight and narrow, instead of fulfilling our duty to God, we fall into sins of various kinds. Maybe we neglect things that we shouldn't neglect. Maybe we do things that we shouldn't do. Or maybe we simply stop believing things we should believe and start believing things we shouldn't believe. Health, wealth, and happiness have a way of doing that to us. God can't let things go on like that. He loves His people as a father loves his children. Therefore, discipline is necessary to get us back in line with what He wants for us, with what He's planned for us. That's why, "If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?" (Hebrews 12:7). On the other hand, "... if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons" (Hebrews 12:8). The afflictions God sends our way are not bad for us. After the experience of affliction, the psalmist could admit, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted." The affliction is good because it causes us to keep God's word and learn His ways. It causes us to get back on track with His original intentions for us. He can use sickness, financial troubles, the loss of a loved one, disappointments in life and career, the machinations of an enemy, the betrayal of friends, marital problems, and any of a hundred other things to accomplish His purposes. He knows exactly what will work in each individual case. As a father, He is supremely wise and good. His discipline is painful because it wouldn't work otherwise, but, in the end, we can honestly say, "...it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11). Consider, then, what is happening in your life. Consider the possibility that some of the bad stuff that has come your way has come for a particular purpose to discipline you out of complacency and on to greater holiness. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 78 Psalm 78 -- Hear my teaching, my people. Turn your ears to the words of my mouth. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Romans 7 Romans 7 -- No Law has Power; Conflict with the Sinful Nature NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. Insight Many people don't want their lives exposed to God's light because they are afraid of what will be revealed. They don't want to be changed. Challenge Don't be surprised when these same people are threatened by your desire to obey God and do what is right, because they are afraid that the light in you may expose some of the darkness in their lives. Rather than giving in to discouragement, keep praying that they will come to see how much better it is to live in light than in darkness. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 72:19 Let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.This is a large petition. To intercede for a whole city needs a stretch of faith, and there are times when a prayer for one man is enough to stagger us. But how far-reaching was the psalmist's dying intercession! How comprehensive! How sublime! "Let the whole earth be filled with his glory." It doth not exempt a single country however crushed by the foot of superstition; it doth not exclude a single nation however barbarous. For the cannibal as well as for the civilized, for all climes and races this prayer is uttered: the whole circle of the earth it encompasses, and omits no son of Adam. We must be up and doing for our Master, or we cannot honestly offer such a prayer. The petition is not asked with a sincere heart unless we endeavour, as God shall help us, to extend the kingdom of our Master. Are there not some who neglect both to plead and to labor? Reader, is it your prayer? Turn your eyes to Calvary. Behold the Lord of Life nailed to a cross, with the thorn-crown about his brow, with bleeding head, and hands, and feet. What! can you look upon this miracle of miracles, the death of the Son of God, without feeling within your bosom a marvellous adoration that language never can express? And when you feel the blood applied to your conscience, and know that he has blotted out your sins, you are not a man unless you start from your knees and cry, "Let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." Can you bow before the Crucified in loving homage, and not wish to see your Monarch master of the world? Out on you if you can pretend to love your Prince, and desire not to see him the universal ruler. Your piety is worthless unless it leads you to wish that the same mercy which has been extended to you may bless the whole world. Lord, it is harvest-time, put in thy sickle and reap. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 24:1 A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.Hosea 2:8,9 "For she does not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the new wine and the oil, And lavished on her silver and gold, Which they used for Baal. • "Therefore, I will take back My grain at harvest time And My new wine in its season. I will also take away My wool and My flax Given to cover her nakedness. 1 Chronicles 29:14-16 "But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. • "For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. • "O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours. Romans 11:36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 1 Timothy 4:4,5 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; • for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 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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