Bible League: Living His Word "Sorrow is better than laughter; for by a sad countenance the heart is made better."— Ecclesiastes 7:3 NKJV How could sorrow possibly be better than laughter? Does not the Bible speak promises of joy, peace, contentment? I would think that a good laugh is always better than sorrow. However, in our passage today we have the biblical benefit that sorrow can achieve in a person. As the Apostle Paul tells us: "All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). "All things" means all things, including sorrow in our lives. Where laughter is good medicine for the present, sorrow is good medicine for the long haul. Sorrow's benefit is lasting fruit in the lives of believers. Sorrow produces character development, and strength of faith, as well as trust in our Lord. As the earth needs fall and winter to bring forth the beauty and comfort of spring, so the heart needs sorrow to bring forth fruits of character and faith that abound and are everlasting. Sorrow is a process, not an end. Life pressures, loss, affliction, sickness, disease, distress, and all difficulties are used by God to build and strengthen our relationship with Him. We come out of sorrows with a greater dependence on God, a greater trust and belief in the one who saved and saves us, and a greater love for Him. Leaving the upper room heading toward the Garden of Gethsemane, after sharing with the disciples about His own departure from them, Jesus said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy" (John 16:20). Sorrow came in our Lord's death, but joy came when they saw Him resurrected. The sad countenance was overcome in their hearts with elation, and made better in love, faith, trust, and truth. Beloved in Christ, whatever tears you have today, know that in time they lead to triumph of the heart, all to the praise and glory of God! By Pastor David Massie, Bible League International staff, California U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingDeuteronomy 5, 6, 7 Deuteronomy 5 -- Covenant in Horeb; Ten Commandments Recounted NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Deuteronomy 6 -- Exhortation to Obedience and Prosperity NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Deuteronomy 7 -- Warnings and Rewards for Driving out Nations NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Mark 12:1-27 Mark 12 -- The Parable of the Tenants; Render to Caesar; Marriage at the Resurrection; Greatest Commandment; Widow's Offering NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion It is good to give thanks to the LORD,to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, Insight During the Thanksgiving holiday, we focus on our blessings and express our gratitude to God for them. But thanks should be on our lips every day. We can never say thank you enough to parents, friends, leaders, and especially to God. Challenge When thanksgiving becomes an integral part of your life, you will find that your attitude toward life will change. You will become more positive, gracious, loving, and humble. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Genesis 35:18 She called his name Ben-oni (son of sorrow), but his father called him Benjamin (son of my right hand).To every matter there is a bright as well as a dark side. Rachel was overwhelmed with the sorrow of her own travail and death; Jacob, though weeping the mother's loss, could see the mercy of the child's birth. It is well for us if, while the flesh mourns over trials, our faith triumphs in divine faithfulness. Samson's lion yielded honey, and so will our adversities, if rightly considered. The stormy sea feeds multitudes with its fishes; the wild wood blooms with beauteous flowerets; the stormy wind sweeps away the pestilence, and the biting frost loosens the soil. Dark clouds distil bright drops, and black earth grows gay flowers. A vein of good is to be found in every mine of evil. Sad hearts have peculiar skill in discovering the most disadvantageous point of view from which to gaze upon a trial; if there were only one slough in the world, they would soon be up to their necks in it, and if there were only one lion in the desert they would hear it roar. About us all there is a tinge of this wretched folly, and we are apt, at times, like Jacob, to cry, "All these things are against me." Faith's way of walking is to cast all care upon the Lord, and then to anticipate good results from the worst calamities. Like Gideon's men, she does not fret over the broken pitcher, but rejoices that the lamp blazes forth the more. Out of the rough oyster-shell of difficulty she extracts the rare pearl of honor, and from the deep ocean-caves of distress she uplifts the priceless coral of experience. When her flood of prosperity ebbs, she finds treasures hid in the sands; and when her sun of delight goes down, she turns her telescope of hope to the starry promises of heaven. When death itself appears, faith points to the light of resurrection beyond the grave, thus making our dying Ben-oni to be our living Benjamin. Daily Light on the Daily Path 2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; Hebrews 2:18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. Philippians 3:21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Matthew 9:28,29 When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." • Then He touched their eyes, saying, "It shall be done to you according to your faith." 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. |
    |