Bible League: Living His Word Search for the LORD and for his strength;continually seek him. Our verse for today is part of a thanksgiving psalm that King David composed. It was meant to be sung by Asaph and his fellow Levites when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem and placed in the tent that David had pitched for it. This part of David's psalm counsels that we should "search for the Lord." What does it mean to search the Lord? To search for the Lord means that we decide to turn away from everything else and turn to the Lord. It is to enter into the Lord's presence. This can be done in a number of ways, but perhaps it is primarily done through prayer and through reading the Bible. When people search for the Lord they are expressing the desire to enter into a personal relationship with the Lord in order to bless Him and in order to be blessed by Him (Psalm 134:1-3). David also counsels that there is one particular blessing of the Lord that we should search for. We should search for His strength. People who search for the Lord are people who know that trying to accomplish anything on their own apart from His strength and ability is a losing proposition. Trying to go it alone apart from the Lord leads us nowhere and wears us out. Searching and seeking the strength of the Lord is an absolute necessity if we are to accomplish anything in this world that is worth accomplishing. Finally, David counsels that we should continually seek the Lord. This does not mean that we should exclusively relate to the Lord and neglect our relationships to other people and to the natural world. It means that we should regularly search for and seek the Lord. It means that we should keep the lines of communication open to Him and regularly turn away from our other relationships and focus our attention on Him. The person who continually seeks the Lord is a person who knows how important it is to be in a personal relationship with Him. Search for the Lord today, for the Lord God blesses those who bless Him. Indeed, the Lord God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Kings 6, 7 1 Kings 6 -- The Building of Solomon's Temple NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Kings 7 -- The Building of Solomon's Palace NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 23:27-38 Luke 23 -- Jesus before Pilate and Herod; Jesus' Crucifixion and Burial NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Young people, it's wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless.Insight We often hear people say, “It doesn't matter.” But many of your choices will be irreversible—they will stay with you for a lifetime. What you do when you're young does matter. Challenge Enjoy life now, but don't do anything physically, morally, or spiritually that will prevent you from enjoying life when you are old. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 46:1 A very present help.Covenant blessings are not meant to be looked at only, but to be appropriated. Even our Lord Jesus is given to us for our present use. Believer, thou dost not make use of Christ as thou oughtest to do. When thou art in trouble, why dost thou not tell him all thy grief? Has he not a sympathizing heart, and can he not comfort and relieve thee? No, thou art going about to all thy friends, save thy best Friend, and telling thy tale everywhere except into the bosom of thy Lord. Art thou burdened with this day's sins? Here is a fountain filled with blood: use it, saint, use it. Has a sense of guilt returned upon thee? The pardoning grace of Jesus may be proved again and again. Come to him at once for cleansing. Dost thou deplore thy weakness? He is thy strength: why not lean upon him? Dost thou feel naked? Come hither, soul; put on the robe of Jesus' righteousness. Stand not looking at it, but wear it. Strip off thine own righteousness, and thine own fears too: put on the fair white linen, for it was meant to wear. Dost thou feel thyself sick? Pull the night-bell of prayer, and call up the Beloved Physician! He will give the cordial that will revive thee. Thou art poor, but then thou hast "a kinsman, a mighty man of wealth." What! wilt thou not go to him, and ask him to give thee of his abundance, when he has given thee this promise, that thou shalt be joint heir with him, and has made over all that he is and all that he has to be thine? There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for his people to make a show-thing of him, and not to use him. He loves to be employed by us. The more burdens we put on his shoulders, the more precious will he be to us. "Let us be simple with him, then, Not backward, stiff, or cold, As though our Bethlehem could be What Sinai was of old." Daily Light on the Daily Path 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Psalm 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Titus 2:12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, Matthew 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 1 John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 2 Corinthians 5:5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Ephesians 4:12,13 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; • until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 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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