Bible League: Living His Word But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.— Isaiah 53:5 ESV Love is often twisted into a tolerance of sin in today’s culture. This is why Christians can easily be persecuted for being witness to the Truth of God’s Word. When we’re persecuted for our faith in Jesus, we must remember that God is true love (1 John 4:8). If God’s own Word states that, “love does not rejoice in evil, but rejoices with the truth,” He will ask us to take a stand for Truth that goes against our culture’s sugary definition of love. This loose notion is often that “love is love,” or that love tolerates sin. When we’re tempted to water down the Gospel under the guise of “love”—out of fear that we’ll be chastised by others—we must remember that the rebuke, wrath, and chastisement we may be afraid of was already laid upon Christ at the cross. Since He declared that, “It is finished,” we no longer need to accept the scorn of people (John 19:30). Today’s verse backs this up with: “… upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace.” God’s peace will defend you when you get chastised for your faith. How? The Word implanted will remind you that chastisement was off-loaded on Christ so you can have peace knowing that, in being a faithful witness to the SUM of His Word, YES, you are loving others (Psalm 119:160)! This is the case, contrary to popular opinion. Christ has already borne chastisement, so you can have peace that Jesus will back you when you simply utter His whole Truth. “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). In plain-speak, the Lord is the true Prophet behind your mouthpiece! Don’t worry about forming Jesus into Someone who is “relevant” by succumbing to the idea that love is all-tolerant. Let King Jesus do “the heavy lifting” by the power of the Holy Spirit in speaking forth what may appear to you to be less tolerant, or “harsh,” Scriptures. In doing so, you’ll keep the Lord in His rightful place as the drawer of hearts (John 6:44). Jesus will be the only Prophet, the true ace behind your mouthpiece, since God is love, and His Word also states that, “Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world, but to save the world” (John 3:17). Therefore, your obedience in speaking the sum of His Word will be received in context of His loving character. In the end, it will offer salvation to the hearer. Don’t tamper with timeless Truth! For the love-is-tolerant crowd need an encounter with Christians who have the backbone of Christ, bearing His true and life-altering love! By Jenny Laux, Bible League International contributor, Wisconsin U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingNumbers 14, 15 Numbers 14 -- The People Rebel; Moses Pleads; Pardon and Rebuke NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Numbers 15 -- More Offerings; Sabbath-Breaker Stoned; Tassels on Garments NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Mark 6:1-32 Mark 6 -- Jesus at Nazareth; Sending out the Twelve; John Beheaded; Jesus Feeds Five Thousand, Walks on Water, Heals NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion For that is what God is like.He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die. Insight We often pray for God's guidance as we struggle with decisions. What we need is both guidance and a guide—a map that gives us landmarks and directions as well as a constant companion who has an intimate knowledge of the way and will make sure we interpret the map correctly. The Bible will be such a map, and the Holy Spirit will be the constant companion and guide. Challenge As you make your way through life, use both the map and your Guide. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Jonah 1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa.Instead of going to Nineveh to preach the Word, as God bade him, Jonah disliked the work, and went down to Joppa to escape from it. There are occasions when God's servants shrink from duty. But what is the consequence? What did Jonah lose by his conduct? He lost the presence and comfortable enjoyment of God's love. When we serve our Lord Jesus as believers should do, our God is with us; and though we have the whole world against us, if we have God with us, what does it matter? But the moment we start back, and seek our own inventions, we are at sea without a pilot. Then may we bitterly lament and groan out, "O my God, where hast thou gone? How could I have been so foolish as to shun thy service, and in this way to lose all the bright shinings of thy face? This is a price too high. Let me return to my allegiance, that I may rejoice in thy presence." In the next place, Jonah lost all peace of mind. Sin soon destroys a believer's comfort. It is the poisonous upas tree, from whose leaves distil deadly drops which destroy the life of joy and peace. Jonah lost everything upon which he might have drawn for comfort in any other case. He could not plead the promise of divine protection, for he was not in God's ways; he could not say, "Lord, I meet with these difficulties in the discharge of my duty, therefore help me through them." He was reaping his own deeds; he was filled with his own ways. Christian, do not play the Jonah, unless you wish to have all the waves and the billows rolling over your head. You will find in the long run that it is far harder to shun the work and will of God than to at once yield yourself to it. Jonah lost his time, for he had to go to Nineveh after all. It is hard to contend with God; let us yield ourselves at once. Daily Light on the Daily Path Job 23:3 "Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat!Isaiah 50:10 Who is among you that fears the LORD, That obeys the voice of His servant, That walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Luke 11:9,10 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. • "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. 1 John 1:3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:13,18 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. • for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; Matthew 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Hebrews 13:5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," John 14:16,17 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; • that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in 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. |
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