Evening, January 18
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Bible League: Living His Word
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
    "therefore I will hope in him."

There are times when life does not work out as you have planned or wanted. There are times when it seems like the very hand of the Lord is against you, holding you back from moving forward, dragging you from the path of life to the wayside, walling you in so escape seems impossible, and making you dwell there in darkness rather than in light. You cry out to the Lord in prayer, but your prayers don't seem to get through. Sickness and hardships of every kind begin to mount up and you can sense your soul within you losing heart.

Despite everything, however, you are not destroyed and you do not fall into utter despair. Although you have been disciplined severely, you have not been given over to death (Psalm 118:18). There by the wayside and in the darkness you sense the love and compassion of the Lord. His goodness comes through and sustains you with what you need time after time. Every morning and each day you see His hand at work healing you, providing for you, and sustaining you. And the thought comes to mind of how great is the Lord's faithfulness.

People who do not know the Lord have their portion or inheritance here on earth, but the Lord is the strength of your heart and your portion forever (Psalm 73:26). Therefore, you wait patiently for Him (Psalm 40:1). You wait patiently because you know that ". . . the LORD will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love" (Lamentations 3:31-32).

You know that human strength and effort are not the solution to your problems; you know that only the Lord can save and that His faithfulness is great; and, therefore, you know that you can allow hope to rise up in your heart as you place your confidence in Him.

Bible in a Year
Old Testament Reading
Genesis 42, 43


Genesis 42 -- Joseph's Brothers Sent to Egypt, Simeon Detained

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Genesis 43 -- The Return to Egypt with Benjamin

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


New Testament Reading
Matthew 13:33-58


Matthew 13 -- Parables of the Sower; Weeds among Wheat; Mustard Seed; Yeast; Treasure; Pearls; Net; Prophet without Honor

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library.
Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion
But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.
Insight
The people had to decide whether they would obey the Lord, who had proven his trustworthiness, or obey the local gods, which were only handmade idols. It's easy to slip into a quiet rebellion—going about life in your own way. But the time comes when you have to choose who or what will control you.
Challenge
The choice is yours. Will it be God, your own limited personality, or another imperfect substitute? Once you have chosen to be controlled by God's Spirit, reaffirm your choice every day.
Morning and Evening by Spurgeon
Luke 24:27  He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus had a most profitable journey. Their companion and teacher was the best of tutors; the interpreter one of a thousand, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The Lord Jesus condescended to become a preacher of the gospel, and he was not ashamed to exercise his calling before an audience of two persons, neither does he now refuse to become the teacher of even one. Let us court the company of so excellent an Instructor, for till he is made unto us wisdom we shall never be wise unto salvation.

This unrivalled tutor used as his class-book the best of books. Although able to reveal fresh truth, he preferred to expound the old. He knew by his omniscience what was the most instructive way of teaching, and by turning at once to Moses and the prophets, he showed us that the surest road to wisdom is not speculation, reasoning, or reading human books, but meditation upon the Word of God. The readiest way to be spiritually rich in heavenly knowledge is to dig in this mine of diamonds, to gather pearls from this heavenly sea. When Jesus himself sought to enrich others, he wrought in the quarry of Holy Scripture.

The favored pair were led to consider the best of subjects, for Jesus spake of Jesus, and expounded the things concerning himself. Here the diamond cut the diamond, and what could be more admirable? The Master of the House unlocked his own doors, conducted the guests to his table, and placed his own dainties upon it. He who hid the treasure in the field himself guided the searchers to it. Our Lord would naturally discourse upon the sweetest of topics, and he could find none sweeter than his own person and work: with an eye to these we should always search the Word. O for grace to study the Bible with Jesus as both our teacher and our lesson!

Daily Light on the Daily Path
Revelation 1:19  "Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.

1 Corinthians 2:9,10  but just as it is written, "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." • For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

John 16:13  "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

Revelation 1:7  BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 4:13,14,16,17  But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. • For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. • For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. • Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

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.

Morning January 18
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