Bible League: Living His Word Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.In the world of this present dispensation there is a lot of sin, evil, and temptation. If there is anything good in it, then from whence did it come? Obviously, it didn't come from hell, the abode of evil personified, and it didn't come from the earth itself, for it is the abode of fallen humanity, so it must have come from another place. It must have come from above. Our verse for today makes it plain: if there is anything good in this broken world we live in, then it must have come from God in heaven. It must have come from God, because God is good. The Bible is full of passages that proclaim or imply the goodness of God. First of all, God is good because He is the creator of a good universe. He Himself proclaimed it to be good (Genesis 1). Indeed, as our verse for today implies, since He is the creator of all the starry lights in the heavens, then He must be good. After all, in the Bible light is symbolic of everything that is holy and pure (see, for example, I John 1:5). Secondly, God is good not only because He is the creator, but also because He is the redeemer: "O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help" (Psalm 86:5). God is good because He did not give up on His fallen creation. Instead, He put in place a plan of redemption. In every way and every respect, therefore, God is good. That's why Jesus could say of God, "'Only God is truly good'" (Mark 10:18). Further, God's goodness is something you can rely upon. This is because God never changes. That is, His revealed character traits never change, including His trait of goodness. The goodness of His dealings with humankind does not vary from moment to moment as do shadows that shift around. Everything that He does, in other words, is always good. Today, expect good from God. Expect that He will do right by you. When you turn to Him, expect good and perfect gifts to come from Him. 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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