Bible League: Living His Word The LORD is my strength and shield. I trusted him with all my heart. He helped me, so I am happy. I sing songs of praise to him.— Psalm 28:7 ERV It’s not me that is my strength. It’s not my friends or family. It’s not the government or any other human institution. It’s the Lord—the Lord is my strength. When all has been said and done, it’s the Lord that gives me the strength I need to do what I have to do. It’s a good thing too, because I need more than natural, everyday strength. I need supernatural strength, the kind that can’t be explained, the kind that fills people with wonder. A shield is every bit as important too. The Lord is my shield as well. As I go about my daily routine, as I flow in the strength of the Lord, I need His protection every moment. The world is a dangerous place. There are enemies everywhere. Attacks can come from anywhere. Without the protection of the Lord, I am vulnerable to all of them. Without His shield, fear and anxiety would plague my life. With the Lord, on the other hand, I am happy and at peace. Now you can understand why I turned to the Lord when I was in trouble. I needed strength. I needed a shield. That’s why I turned to Him first. So, I trusted Him with all my heart; I came to Him with my request, and He heard my cry and quieted my soul. He gave me the peace that goes beyond all human understanding (Philippians 4:7). It’s the kind of peace that can only come from trust in the Lord. It may not make any sense to those who are not familiar with it, but for those who are familiar, it’s the only kind that really matters. My turning to the Lord was not in vain. He helped me, like He always does. The Lord didn’t leave me to my own devices. He helped me with strength and protection. He helped me once again to make it through what I had to go through. Can you blame me for being happy? Will you find fault with me for singing a song? I’m so happy that my heart is filled with songs to the Lord! Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJob 1, 2, 3 Job 1 -- Job's Holiness; Satan's First Test: Loss of His Children and Goods NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Job 2 -- Job's Second Test: Job Loses His Health NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Job 3 -- Job's Lament NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 7:1-19 Acts 7 -- Stephen's Speech, Stoning and Death NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion “For you ignore God's law and substitute your own tradition.”Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God's law in order to hold on to your own tradition.” Insight Jesus wasn't against all tradition, but he was against those who made their traditions as important, if not more important, than God's Word. Good traditions shine a spotlight on God's Word, move us to obedient service, and help our hearts sing. They explain and reinforce the teachings of God. God's Word should always be the focus, and tradition a means of bringing that Word alive. Challenge Celebrate your traditions with the prayer that Christ would be exalted. Change your traditions if they become more important than God's Word. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Daniel 3:16, 18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said ... Be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods.The narrative of the manly courage and marvellous deliverance of the three holy children, or rather champions, is well calculated to excite in the minds of believers firmness and steadfastness in upholding the truth in the teeth of tyranny and in the very jaws of death. Let young Christians especially learn from their example, both in matters of faith in religion, and matters of uprightness in business, never to sacrifice their consciences. Lose all rather than lose your integrity, and when all else is gone, still hold fast a clear conscience as the rarest jewel which can adorn the bosom of a mortal. Be not guided by the will-o'-the-wisp of policy, but by the pole-star of divine authority. Follow the right at all hazards. When you see no present advantage, walk by faith and not by sight. Do God the honor to trust him when it comes to matters of loss for the sake of principle. See whether he will be your debtor! See if he doth not even in this life prove his word that "Godliness, with contentment, is great gain," and that they who "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, shall have all these things added unto them." Should it happen that, in the providence of God, you are a loser by conscience, you shall find that if the Lord pays you not back in the silver of earthly prosperity, he will discharge his promise in the gold of spiritual joy. Remember that a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of that which he possesseth. To wear a guileless spirit, to have a heart void of offence, to have the favor and smile of God, is greater riches than the mines of Ophir could yield, or the traffic of Tyre could win. "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and inward contention therewith." An ounce of heart's-ease is worth a ton of gold. Daily Light on the Daily Path John 1:38,39 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?" • He said to them, "Come, and you will see." So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.John 14:2,3 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. • "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Revelation 3:21 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. Revelation 3:20 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 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." Psalm 36:7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. 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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