Bible League: Living His Word Very few people will die to save the life of someone else, even if it is for a good person. Someone might be willing to die for an especially good person. But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this, God showed how much He loves us.— Romans 5:7-8 ERV We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. Each of us bears the shame of sin. And we are unified in bearing it from our own choices and those of our entire race. Sin leaves pain, and ultimately leads to both spiritual and physical death. God didn’t want His dear ones to feel pain and darkness and death, because He loves us so dearly. But, for reasons we don’t fully understand, He chose to give us a choice. He doesn’t rob us of our will. As C.S. Lewis noted, maybe God didn’t want us to be “automatons,” or robots that were pre-programmed to always do His will. Maybe He receives greater pleasure when we choose to trust in and surrender to Him, than if we had been pre-programmed to always do the right thing. Somehow, in God’s mind, that pleasure was worth the risk and pain of our sometimes choosing to sin and turn our backs on Him. Sadly, for some, that choice is eternal. It’s beyond our comprehension. But aren’t there so many aspects of God that we don’t understand? Paul alludes to this, “Now we see God as if we are looking at a reflection in a mirror. But then, in the future, we will see Him right before our eyes. Now, I know only a part, but at that time I will know fully, as God has known me,” (1 Corinthians 13:12 ERV). Meanwhile, man continues to go his own way. Unified in our dire situation, we, as followers of Christ can relate to the lyrics of the 80s tune “Love Comes to Town” by the rock band U2 accompanied by renowned blues artist B.B. King:
Jesus came to town for each of us. Even His name, “Immanuel,” means “God with us.” He came for us. He is with us. Despite what we’ve done, He loves us. Will we choose love? By Chaney Rader, Bible League International staff, Kansas U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingExodus 39, 40 Exodus 39 -- The Priestly Garments; Moses Inspects the Completed Work NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Exodus 40 -- Tabernacle Erected and Filled by the Glory of the Lord NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 24:1-22 Matthew 24 -- Christ Foretells the Destruction of the Temple and His Glorious Return NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion LORD, have mercy on me.See how my enemies torment me. Snatch me back from the jaws of death. Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem's gates, so I can rejoice that you have rescued me. Insight All of us want God to help us when we are in trouble, but often for different reasons. Some want God's help so that they will be successful and other people will like them. Others want God's help so that they will be comfortable and feel good about themselves. David, however, wanted help from God so that justice would be restored to Israel and so that he could show others God's power. Challenge When you call to God for help, consider your motive. Is it to save yourself pain and embarrassment or to bring God glory and honor? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon James 5:16 Pray one for another.As an encouragement cheerfully to offer intercessory prayer, remember that such prayer is the sweetest God ever hears, for the prayer of Christ is of this character. In all the incense which our Great High Priest now puts into the golden censer, there is not a single grain for himself. His intercession must be the most acceptable of all supplications--and the more like our prayer is to Christ's, the sweeter it will be; thus while petitions for ourselves will be accepted, our pleadings for others, having in them more of the fruits of the Spirit, more love, more faith, more brotherly kindness, will be, through the precious merits of Jesus, the sweetest oblation that we can offer to God, the very fat of our sacrifice. Remember, again, that intercessory prayer is exceedingly prevalent. What wonders it has wrought! The Word of God teems with its marvellous deeds. Believer, thou hast a mighty engine in thy hand, use it well, use it constantly, use it with faith, and thou shalt surely be a benefactor to thy brethren. When thou hast the King's ear, speak to him for the suffering members of his body. When thou art favored to draw very near to his throne, and the King saith to thee, "Ask, and I will give thee what thou wilt," let thy petitions be, not for thyself alone, but for the many who need his aid. If thou hast grace at all, and art not an intercessor, that grace must be small as a grain of mustard seed. Thou hast just enough grace to float thy soul clear from the quicksand, but thou hast no deep floods of grace, or else thou wouldst carry in thy joyous bark a weighty cargo of the wants of others, and thou wouldst bring back from thy Lord, for them, rich blessings which but for thee they might not have obtained:-- "Oh, let my hands forget their skill, My tongue be silent, cold, and still, This bounding heart forget to beat, If I forget the mercy-seat!" Daily Light on the Daily Path Revelation 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."Numbers 24:17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth. Romans 13:12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Isaiah 25:11,12 And he will spread out his hands in the middle of it As a swimmer spreads out his hands to swim, But the Lord will lay low his pride together with the trickery of his hands. • The unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down, Lay low and cast to the ground, even to the dust. John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." Revelation 2:28 and I will give him the morning star. Mark 13:33,37 "Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. • "What I say to you I say to all, 'Be on the alert!'" 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. |