Bible League: Living His Word But by the grace of God, I am what I am...— 1 Corinthians 15:10 NKJV I am what I am. What are you? Who are you? For me, I can say I am a sinner saved by grace and I thank God it was His doing and not up to my doings. Are you thankful today for what God has done for you? A great theologian once said, "If my children wake up on Christmas morning and have somebody to thank for putting candy in their stockings, have I no one to thank for putting two feet in mine?" I love that. So simple and yet so eternally profound. I would add to this statement being thankful for keeping two feet in my stockings. Thankfulness begins with knowing what God has already done for you and it starts with grace. Grace is getting what you don't deserve. It is the unmerited favor of God to those who deserve the opposite, which is all of us, for "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). This grace must be received in one's heart to truly understand God. Grace should also be on our minds constantly to produce an attitude of thankfulness. Christ loved you so much that while you were still a sinner, He died for you (Romans 5:8). He died willingly, in grace, for you to pay the price for your sins. He then rose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of Father God where He makes intercession for you out of love for you. The Bible says Jesus prays for you continually – unmerited favor. His thoughts toward you are good and not evil – unmerited favor. He forgives you of your sins – unmerited favor. He leads you and guides you through life as you choose to follow – unmerited favor. He empowers you with the Holy Spirit – unmerited favor. All the while as He prepares an eternal home for you in heaven – unmerited favor. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound! With grace in your heart and forever on your mind let thankfulness rule your days. I am what I am, a child of God, and I will thank the Lord with all my heart. I will declare all His wondrous works. I will rejoice and boast about Him. I will sing about your name, Lord most high (Psalm 9:1—2). By Pastor David Massie, Bible League International staff, California U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJeremiah 31, 32 Jeremiah 31 -- The Restoration of Israel; New Covenant NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Jeremiah 32 -- Jeremiah Imprisoned by Zedekiah, Buys Hanamel's Field, Prays NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Titus 2 Titus 2 -- Roles of the Old, Young, Servants NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.Insight Paul challenged the Philippians to pursue Christlikeness by following Paul's own pattern or example. This did not mean, of course, that they should copy everything he did; he had just stated that he was not perfect. But as he focused his life on being like Christ, so should they. The Gospels may not yet have been in circulation, so Paul could not tell them to read the Bible to see what Christ was like. Therefore he urged them to imitate him. That Paul could tell people to follow his example is a testimony to his character. Challenge Can you do the same? What kind of follower would a new Christian become if he or she imitated you? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Matthew 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away: so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.Universal was the doom; neither rich nor poor escaped: the learned and the illiterate, the admired and the abhorred, the religious and the profane, the old and the young, all sank in one common ruin. Some had doubtless ridiculed the patriarch--where now their merry jests? Others had threatened him for his zeal which they counted madness--where now their boastings and hard speeches? The critic who judged the old man's work is drowned in the same sea which covers his sneering companions. Those who spoke patronizingly of the good man's fidelity to his convictions, but shared not in them, have sunk to rise no more, and the workers who for pay helped to build the wondrous ark, are all lost also. The flood swept them all away, and made no single exception. Even so, out of Christ, final destruction is sure to every man of woman born; no rank, possession, or character, shall suffice to save a single soul who has not believed in the Lord Jesus. My soul, behold this wide-spread judgment and tremble at it. How marvellous the general apathy! they were all eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, till the awful morning dawned. There was not one wise man upon earth out of the ark. Folly duped the whole race, folly as to self-preservation--the most foolish of all follies. Folly in doubting the most true God--the most malignant of fooleries. Strange, my soul, is it not? All men are negligent of their souls till grace gives them reason, then they leave their madness and act like rational beings, but not till then. All, blessed be God, were safe in the ark, no ruin entered there. From the huge elephant down to the tiny mouse all were safe. The timid hare was equally secure with the courageous lion, the helpless cony as safe as the laborious ox. All are safe in Jesus. My soul, art thou in him? Daily Light on the Daily Path Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.Luke 11:2,3 And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. • 'Give us each day our daily bread. Proverbs 8:1,4-6,14 Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? • "To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. • "O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom. • "Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things. • "Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine. Isaiah 28:29 This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who has made His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great. James 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. • In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 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. |
    |