Bible League: Living His Word The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.— Psalm 29:11 NIV Psalm 29 begins with David encouraging the angels in heaven to "Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness" (Psalm 29:1-2). Why does David do this? He does it because the Lord deserves praise and worship, even from angels. He does it because the Lord rules and reigns over all things. David illustrates this by giving an example. The Lord rules and reigns over the physical realm. He says that the Lord's voice "thunders over the mighty waters" (v. 3), His voice "breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon" (v. 5), it "strikes with flashes of lightening" (v. 7), "shakes the desert of Kadesh" (v. 8), and "twists the oaks and strips the forests bare" (v. 9). When the sovereign Lord God of all things speaks, things happen, things must happen. Even the vast and powerful entities of the physical realm are subject to Him. It is this God, the God who controls all things, that does for His people what our verse for today says that He does. First of all, He "gives strength to his people." We can count on the Lord to give us the strength we need because He has the strength to give. His control of the physical realm proves it. That's why Isaiah can say, "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" (Isaiah 40:29-31). Second, "the Lord blesses his people with peace." The God that controls the physical realm can be counted on to arrange peace for His people. What kind of peace does He give? Every kind. That's why the Apostle Paul can pray for every kind: "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way" (2 Thessalonians 3:16). The point is, you don't have to worry when the Lord is your God. He has what it takes to give you the strength and the peace you need. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJoshua 14, 15 Joshua 14 -- Land West of Jordan Divided; Caleb given Hebron NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Joshua 15 -- Territory of Judah Allotted NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 4:33-44 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 Those who love your instructions have great peaceand do not stumble. Insight Modern society longs for peace of mind. Here is clear-cut instruction on how to attain this: if we love God and obey his laws, we will have “great peace.” Challenge Trust in God, who alone stands above the pressures of daily life and gives us full assurance. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon John 3:13 The Son of man.How constantly our Master used the title, the "Son of man!" If he had chosen, he might always have spoken of himself as the Son of God, the Everlasting Father, the Wonderful, the Counsellor, the Prince of Peace; but behold the lowliness of Jesus! He prefers to call himself the Son of man. Let us learn a lesson of humility from our Saviour; let us never court great titles nor proud degrees. There is here, however, a far sweeter thought. Jesus loved manhood so much, that he delighted to honor it; and since it is a high honor, and indeed, the greatest dignity of manhood, that Jesus is the Son of man, he is wont to display this name, that he may as it were hang royal stars upon the breast of manhood, and show forth the love of God to Abraham's seed. Son of man--whenever he said that word, he shed a halo round the head of Adam's children. Yet there is perhaps a more precious thought still. Jesus Christ called himself the Son of man to express his oneness and sympathy with his people. He thus reminds us that he is the one whom we may approach without fear. As a man, we may take to him all our griefs and troubles, for he knows them by experience; in that he himself hath suffered as the "Son of man," he is able to succor and comfort us. All hail, thou blessed Jesus! inasmuch as thou art evermore using the sweet name which acknowledges that thou art a brother and a near kinsman, it is to us a dear token of thy grace, thy humility, thy love. "Oh see how Jesus trusts himself Unto our childish love, As though by his free ways with us Our earnestness to prove! His sacred name a common word On earth he loves to hear; There is no majesty in him Which love may not come near." Daily Light on the Daily Path Luke 5:5 Simon answered and said, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets."Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. • "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, • teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 13:47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; 1 Corinthians 9:16,22 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. • To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. Galatians 6:9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. Isaiah 55:11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. 1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 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. |
    |