Evening, March 24
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Bible League: Living His Word
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

At first glance, Jesus seems to be offering His disciples in our verses for today a blank check to use for whatever they want. Think of the possibilities: no more sickness and disease, no more poverty and lack, no more hardships and persecutions, and no more waiting for anything anytime. When one puts it in such stark terms, however, the realization sets in that this interpretation must be wrong in some way. It seems to turn Jesus into nothing more than a genie obligated to grant our every wish.

The key to resolving the issue lies in the condition that qualifies the promise: we will receive what we desire if we abide in Jesus and His words abide in us. First of all, then, we must abide in Jesus. Just as a branch must abide in a vine in order to bear fruit, so we must abide in Jesus in order to act like Christians (John 15:1-8). The whole point of being a Christian is not to get whatever we want, but to reflect Jesus in whatever we do. This includes what we ask in prayer. We must ask ourselves: would Jesus ask what we are asking?

Secondly, the words of Jesus must abide in us. We may not ask for anything that contradicts the words of Jesus and, ultimately, the words of God. I John 5:14 tells us that our asking must be in accordance with God's will and James 4:3 tells us we will not receive anything if it is just for our own pleasures. True prayer reflects a unity of will and purpose with Jesus and our Father in heaven.

None of this, however, should be taken as negating the power of prayer. After all, the point of our verses for today is to help us glorify God, bear much fruit, and be disciples of Jesus---and our asking is said to help us accomplish these things.

Prayer can indeed remove mountains (Mark 11:23-24), but they must be mountains God wants to be removed.

Bible in a Year
Old Testament Reading
Joshua 11, 12, 13


Joshua 11 -- Northern Palestine Defeated

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Joshua 12 -- List of Defeated Kings

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Joshua 13 -- Canaan Divided among the Tribes

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


New Testament Reading
Luke 4:1-32


Luke 4 -- Jesus' Temptation; Rejection at Nazareth; Public Ministry; Healings

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library.
Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion
Give discernment to me, your servant;
        then I will understand your laws.
Insight
The psalmist asked God for discernment. Faith comes alive when we apply Scripture to our daily tasks and concerns. We need discernment so we can understand, and we need the desire to apply Scripture where we need help. The Bible is like medicine—it goes to work only when we apply it to the affected areas.
Challenge
As you read the Bible, be alert for lessons, commands, or examples that you can put into practice.
Morning and Evening by Spurgeon
Luke 10:21  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit.

The Saviour was "a man of sorrows," but every thoughtful mind has discovered the fact that down deep in his innermost soul he carried an inexhaustible treasury of refined and heavenly joy. Of all the human race, there was never a man who had a deeper, purer, or more abiding peace than our Lord Jesus Christ. "He was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows." His vast benevolence must, from the very nature of things, have afforded him the deepest possible delight, for benevolence is joy. There were a few remarkable seasons when this joy manifested itself. "At that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth." Christ had his songs, though it was night with him; though his face was marred, and his countenance had lost the lustre of earthly happiness, yet sometimes it was lit up with a matchless splendour of unparalleled satisfaction, as he thought upon the recompense of the reward, and in the midst of the congregation sang his praise unto God. In this, the Lord Jesus is a blessed picture of his church on earth. At this hour the church expects to walk in sympathy with her Lord along a thorny road; through much tribulation she is forcing her way to the crown. To bear the cross is her office, and to be scorned and counted an alien by her mother's children is her lot; and yet the church has a deep well of joy, of which none can drink but her own children. There are stores of wine, and oil, and corn, hidden in the midst of our Jerusalem, upon which the saints of God are evermore sustained and nurtured; and sometimes, as in our Saviour's case, we have our seasons of intense delight, for "There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of our God." Exiles though we be, we rejoice in our King; yea, in him we exceedingly rejoice, while in his name we set up our banners.

Daily Light on the Daily Path
1 Thessalonians 2:12  so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

John 18:36  Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."

Hebrews 10:13  waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.

Revelation 11:15  Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever."

Revelation 5:10  "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."

Revelation 20:4  Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Matthew 13:43  "Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Luke 12:32  "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

Luke 22:29,30  and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you • that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Matthew 6:10  'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

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 March 24
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