Bible League: Living His Word Don't worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have.— Philippians 4?6 ERV These words from the Bible are really very encouraging. We should not worry about many things, instead we should pray with thankful heart. It is very necessary and important to have thankful heart and give thanks to the Lord for everything. When we look at the situations in many countries, we see that even though so many people live well, they are never thankful, they complain all the time. People are always complaining and grumbling. When we look at so called developed countries of the world, where life seems perfect, we see that there are also great grievances, even more in number, and mass protests regarding the improvement of living conditions and disagreement with the functioning of governments. So almost everywhere there is this phenomenon of not being satisfied. We will talk about thankfulness (gratitude) and grumbling. What power do they have? How does grumbling stop so many good things in our lives? How does thankfulness open doors to God's power and blessing? My friend, you have an important question for yourself today: what kind of person are you? Have you grumbling heart, do you complain always, or are you thankful to God for everything? People who always are grumbling can have bad results. As it is written in the Word of God, "The people started complaining about their troubles. The Lord heard their complaints. He heard these things and became angry. Fire from the Lord burned among the people. The fire burned some of the areas at the edge of the camp" (Numbers 11:1). In the Gospel, we see how our Lord healed ten people, who had leprosy. But then only one of them came back and gave thanks to our Lord, only he had thankful heart. As Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem, He came into a small town, and ten men met him there. They did not come close to Him, because they all had leprosy. But the men shouted, "Jesus! Master! Please help us!" When Jesus saw the men, He said, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." While the ten men were going to the priests, they were healed. When one of them saw that he was healed, he went back to Jesus. He praised God loudly. He bowed down at Jesus' feet and thanked him. But he was a Samaritan. Then our Lord Jesus said, "Ten men were healed; where are the other nine? This man is not even one of our people. Is he the only one who came back to give praise to God?" Then Jesus said to the man, "Stand up! You can go. You were healed because you believed" (Luke 17:11—19). This story is an interesting example of being thankful. Are we thankful to the Lord for everything? Are we thankful for the salvation that He gave us? Are we thankful that He heals us? Are we thankful that He protects our country? It is very important to be thankful to our Lord Jesus Christ, and this can open the doors for different blessings from the Lord. By Mamikon Abgaryan, Bible League International partner, Armenia Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingEzekiel 27, 28 Ezekiel 27 -- Lament for Tyre NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Ezekiel 28 -- God's Judgment Upon Tyre and Sidon NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading James 4 James 4 -- Submit to God; Resist the Devil; the Lord's Will NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.Insight Paul constantly prayed for Timothy, his friend, his fellow traveler, his son in the faith, and a strong leader in the Christian church. Although the two men were separated from each other, their prayers provided a source of mutual encouragement. Challenge We too should pray consistently for others, especially for those who do God's work. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Philippians 3:10 The power of his resurrection.The doctrine of a risen Saviour is exceedingly precious. The resurrection is the corner-stone of the entire building of Christianity. It is the key-stone of the arch of our salvation. It would take a volume to set forth all the streams of living water which flow from this one sacred source, the resurrection of our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; but to know that he has risen, and to have fellowship with him as such--communing with the risen Saviour by possessing a risen life--seeing him leave the tomb by leaving the tomb of worldliness ourselves, this is even still more precious. The doctrine is the basis of the experience, but as the flower is more lovely than the root, so is the experience of fellowship with the risen Saviour more lovely than the doctrine itself. I would have you believe that Christ rose from the dead so as to sing of it, and derive all the consolation which it is possible for you to extract from this well-ascertained and well-witnessed fact; but I beseech you, rest not contented even there. Though you cannot, like the disciples, see him visibly, yet I bid you aspire to see Christ Jesus by the eye of faith; and though, like Mary Magdalene, you may not "touch" him, yet may you be privileged to converse with him, and to know that he is risen, you yourselves being risen in him to newness of life. To know a crucified Saviour as having crucified all my sins, is a high degree of knowledge; but to know a risen Saviour as having justified me, and to realize that he has bestowed upon me new life, having given me to be a new creature through his own newness of life, this is a noble style of experience: short of it, none ought to rest satisfied. May you both "know him, and the power of his resurrection." Why should souls who are quickened with Jesus, wear the grave-clothes of worldliness and unbelief? Rise, for the Lord is risen. Daily Light on the Daily Path Job 14:7 "For there is hope for a tree, When it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And its shoots will not fail.Isaiah 42:3 "A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 2 Corinthians 7:10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. Hebrews 12:11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Psalm 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. Ezra 9:13 "After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and our great guilt, since You our God have requited us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us an escaped remnant as this, Micah 7:8,9 Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a light for me. • I will bear the indignation of the LORD Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me out to the light, And I will see His righteousness. 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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