Bible League: Living His Word "He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail."— 1 Samuel 2:9 NKJV Do you want to win in life? Do you want to overcome life's adversities and troubles? Then you have to look to the Lord God of heaven and earth. Like Hannah, who spoke the words of our verse for today, you have to go to Him in prayer and receive from Him what you need. Hannah went before the Lord in prayer and overcame the shame and heartache of infertility. In gratitude, she spoke a psalm of praise to the Lord that lists many of the wonderful things we can expect from Him (1 Samuel 2:1-10). Our verse is a part of what she said. First, "He will guard the feet of his saints." It is the Lord that keeps people from stumbling in their walk of life before Him. David said, "You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?" (Psalm 56:13). and Moses said, "For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone" (Psalm 91:11-12). Indeed, even if we do fall, we shall not be utterly cast down, because the Lord upholds us with His hand (Psalm 37:24). Second, "But the wicked shall be silent in darkness." The wicked do not have the help of the Lord in their walk of life. As a result, "They meet with darkness in the daytime, And they grope at noontime as in the night" (Job 5:14). Even worse, the Lord is opposed to them: "But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out their days" (Psalm 55:23). Third, "For by strength no man shall prevail." The reason why the wicked fail in the walk of life is because they think they can prevail by their own strength. The people of God, on the other hand, prevail because they realize it all depends on the Lord. "'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts" (Zechariah 4:6). Hannah's message, then, is clear: look not to the world or the flesh for power in this life; look only to the Lord for protection and success. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingNumbers 34, 35, 36 Numbers 34 -- Borders of Canaan NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Numbers 35 -- Designation of Cities for the Levites and Refuge NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Numbers 36 -- Zelophehad's Daughters Marry NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Mark 10:32-52 Mark 10 -- Divorce; Let the little children; Rich Young Ruler; Jesus Predicts His Death; James and John's Request; Blind Bart NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion How lovely is your dwelling place,O LORD of Heaven's Armies...What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises. Insight The writer longed to get away from the bustling world to meet God inside his dwelling place, his holy temple. Challenge We can meet God anywhere, at any time. But we know that going into a church building can help us step aside from the busy mainstream of life so we can quietly meditate and pray. We find joy not only in the beautiful building but also in the prayers, music, lessons, sermons, and fellowship. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 35:3 Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.What does this sweet prayer teach me? It shall be my evening's petition; but first let it yield me an instructive meditation. The text informs me first of all that David had his doubts; for why should he pray, "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation," if he were not sometimes exercised with doubts and fears? Let me, then, be of good cheer, for I am not the only saint who has to complain of weakness of faith. If David doubted, I need not conclude that I am no Christian because I have doubts. The text reminds me that David was not content while he had doubts and fears, but he repaired at once to the mercy-seat to pray for assurance; for he valued it as much fine gold. I too must labor after an abiding sense of my acceptance in the Beloved, and must have no joy when his love is not shed abroad in my soul. When my Bridegroom is gone from me, my soul must and will fast. I learn also that David knew where to obtain full assurance. He went to his God in prayer, crying, "Say unto my soul I am thy salvation." I must be much alone with God if I would have a clear sense of Jesus' love. Let my prayers cease, and my eye of faith will grow dim. Much in prayer, much in heaven; slow in prayer, slow in progress. I notice that David would not be satisfied unless his assurance had a divine source. "Say unto my soul." Lord, do thou say it! Nothing short of a divine testimony in the soul will ever content the true Christian. Moreover, David could not rest unless his assurance had a vivid personality about it. "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." Lord, if thou shouldst say this to all the saints, it were nothing, unless thou shouldst say it to me. Lord, I have sinned; I deserve not thy smile; I scarcely dare to ask it; but oh! say to my soul, even to my soul, "I am thy salvation." Let me have a present, personal, infallible, indisputable sense that I am thine, and that thou art mine. Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.2 Corinthians 7:5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 2 Kings 6:16 So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 1 Samuel 17:45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 2 Samuel 22:33,35 "God is my strong fortress; And He sets the blameless in His way. • "He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them. 2 Kings 6:17 Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. Hebrews 11:32-34 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, • who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, • quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 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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