Bible League: Living His Word Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.Our verse for today teaches that there are two fundamental ways that we can live life. We can choose to live a life of our own on our own terms, or we can choose to live a life in service to Jesus Christ and his Kingdom. Whichever fundamental choice we make has fundamental repercussions. If we choose to live a life of our own on our own terms, then we will lose our lives. The person who makes this choice has decided that what comes first in life is his own person and his own interests. Instead of placing priority on Jesus and His Kingdom, they place priority on themselves and their own fleshly desires. They have lost sight of the true meaning and purpose of life and, as a consequence, they are forced to find meaning and purpose in things that can never fully satisfy them. Although they may gain these things and even the world as a whole, they lose their own souls (Mark 8:36). They lose their lives in the next life and they lose them in this life as well by wasting them on meaningless, self-serving endeavors. If we choose to live a life in service to Jesus Christ and his Kingdom, on the other hand, then we will find our lives. The person who makes this choice has decided that what comes first in life is Jesus Christ and his Kingdom. Instead of placing priority on themselves and their own fleshly desires, they place priority on what Jesus wants. They have found the true meaning and purpose of life and, as a consequence, they no longer need to make futile quests to find meaning and purpose in things that can never satisfy them. Although they may lose the world and the things of the world, they gain their own souls. Indeed, they may even lose their lives as martyrs in service to Jesus, but they find eternal life. Apart from Christ, the search for meaning and purpose in life is a futile and frustrating quest that ends in nothing other than, as King Solomon put it, a meaningless "chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 2:11). On a regular basis we should take stock of what we do and why we do it. We should regularly ask ourselves if what we do is done in service to the King, or in service to our own selfish wants and desires. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Chronicles 11, 12, 13 1 Chronicles 11 -- David Reigns over All Israel; Conquers Jerusalem with His Mighty Men NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 12 -- David's Supporters at Ziklag and Hebron NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 13 -- Bringing Back the Ark NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 9:1-23 John 9 -- Jesus Heals a Blind Man; Pharisees Question His Authority; Jesus Affirms He Is the Son of God NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion That is why the LORD says,“Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don't tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Insight God told the people to turn to him while there was still time. Destruction would soon be upon them. Challenge Time is also running out for us. Because we don't know when our lives will end, we should trust and obey God now, while we can. Don't let anything hold you back from turning to him. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.The word "conversation" does not merely mean our talk and converse with one another, but the whole course of our life and behaviour in the world. The Greek word signifies the actions and the privileges of citizenship: and thus we are commanded to let our actions, as citizens of the New Jerusalem, be such as becometh the gospel of Christ. What sort of conversation is this? In the first place, the gospel is very simple. So Christians should be simple and plain in their habits. There should be about our manner, our speech, our dress, our whole behaviour, that simplicity which is the very soul of beauty. The gospel is pre-eminently true, it is gold without dross; and the Christian's life will be lustreless and valueless without the jewel of truth. The gospel is a very fearless gospel, it boldly proclaims the truth, whether men like it or not: we must be equally faithful and unflinching. But the gospel is also very gentle. Mark this spirit in its Founder: "a bruised reed he will not break." Some professors are sharper than a thorn-hedge; such men are not like Jesus. Let us seek to win others by the gentleness of our words and acts. The gospel is very loving. It is the message of the God of love to a lost and fallen race. Christ's last command to his disciples was, "Love one another." O for more real, hearty union and love to all the saints; for more tender compassion towards the souls of the worst and vilest of men! We must not forget that the gospel of Christ is holy. It never excuses sin: it pardons it, but only through an atonement. If our life is to resemble the gospel, we must shun, not merely the grosser vices, but everything that would hinder our perfect conformity to Christ. For his sake, for our own sakes, and for the sakes of others, we must strive day by day to let our conversation be more in accordance with his gospel. Daily Light on the Daily Path Hosea 5:15 I will go away and return to My place Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. Isaiah 57:17,18 "Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him; I hid My face and was angry, And he went on turning away, in the way of his heart. • "I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners, Jeremiah 2:17 "Have you not done this to yourself By your forsaking the LORD your God When He led you in the way? Luke 15:20 "So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. Hosea 14:4 I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from them. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 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. 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