Bible League: Living His Word Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!— Romans 12:16 NLT Our verse for today lists three things we should do in order to get along with people, especially people who are members of the church of Jesus Christ. First, we should live in harmony with each other. What does it mean to live in harmony? In music, harmony occurs when there is a simultaneous combination of different notes or tones that blend well together, that sound pleasing together. So, likewise, harmony in the church occurs when there is a simultaneous combination of different people that blend well together, that work well together. According to the Apostle Paul, harmony is something that we should strive for -- finding a place in the church that fits well with what other people are doing. And like the tuning peg of a violin, we should be willing to adjust ourselves to other people so that harmony is achieved. Second, we should not be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. After all, most people are ordinary people. To avoid them would be to cut ourselves off from most people. We cannot harmonize with people we are avoiding. Further, cutting ourselves off from most people is to cut ourselves off from what is actually going on in the church. If we live in an elite bubble that is out of touch with the church as a whole, how can we help our church grow? Our pride and elitism will have prevented us from finding out how to serve and create the desired harmony. Finally, we should not think that we know it all. No one likes a “know-it-all” who thinks that they are above everyone else. This kind of pride will also lead to a failure to harmonize with people, and it is also a failure to enjoy ordinary people. After all, how can there be harmony with, and enjoyment of, ordinary people if a person thinks that he is the only one with worthwhile ideas? For the most part, it is pride that keeps church members from harmony. Family relations, socio-economics, and education can divide us if we are not careful. What Paul is essentially saying in our verse for today is that we should forget pride and love and serve one another from the heart. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingNehemiah 4, 5, 6 Nehemiah 4 -- Work on Walls Is Ridiculed; Opposition Overcome NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Nehemiah 5 -- Nehemiah Abolishes Debt, Mortgage, and Bondage NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Nehemiah 6 -- Sanballat's Plot; Completion of the Wall NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 2:14-47 Acts 2 -- The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost, Peter Preaches, Believers Gather NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.Insight Jesus turned the world's values upside down. Consider the most powerful or well-known people in our world. How many got where they are by being humble, self-effacing, and gentle? Not many! But in the life to come, the last will be first—if they got in last place by choosing to follow Jesus. Challenge Don't forfeit eternal rewards for temporary benefits. Be willing to make sacrifices now for greater rewards later. Be willing to accept human disapproval, while knowing that you have God's approval. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Numbers 21:17 Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it.Famous was the well of Beer in the wilderness, because it was the subject of a promise: "That is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water." The people needed water, and it was promised by their gracious God. We need fresh supplies of heavenly grace, and in the covenant the Lord has pledged himself to give all we require. The well next became the cause of a song. Before the water gushed forth, cheerful faith prompted the people to sing; and as they saw the crystal fount bubbling up, the music grew yet more joyous. In like manner, we who believe the promise of God should rejoice in the prospect of divine revivals in our souls, and as we experience them our holy joy should overflow. Are we thirsting? Let us not murmur, but sing. Spiritual thirst is bitter to bear, but we need not bear it--the promise indicates a well; let us be of good heart, and look for it. Moreover, the well was the centre of prayer. "Spring up, O well." What God has engaged to give, we must enquire after, or we manifest that we have neither desire nor faith. This evening let us ask that the Scripture we have read, and our devotional exercises, may not be an empty formality, but a channel of grace to our souls. O that God the Holy Spirit would work in us with all his mighty power, filling us with all the fulness of God. Lastly, the well was the object of effort. "The nobles of the people digged it with their staves." The Lord would have us active in obtaining grace. Our staves are ill adapted for digging in the sand, but we must use them to the utmost of our ability. Prayer must not be neglected; the assembling of ourselves together must not be forsaken; ordinances must not be slighted. The Lord will give us his peace most plenteously, but not in a way of idleness. Let us, then, bestir ourselves to seek him in whom are all our fresh springs. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 145:10 All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD, And Your godly ones shall bless You.Psalm 103:1,2 A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. • Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Psalm 34:1 A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psa 145:2 Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. Psalm 63:3-5 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. • So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. • My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. Luke 1:46,47 And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord, • And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. Revelation 4:11 "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." 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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