Bible League: Living His Word If you look to him for help,he will put a smile on your face. You will have no need to be ashamed. What does your face look like? Is it a happy face, or a sad face? Does it look normal, or is it red with shame? The appearance of a person's face says a lot about the spiritual state of the person, for the face is a window to the soul. You can tell a lot about someone just by looking at their face. You can see if everything is good, or if something is bothering them. Our verse for today tells us that the state of your face is also dependent upon your answer to a religious question. It is dependent upon your answer to the question of who you trust for help. Ultimately, do you trust God, the source of all things and the sustainer of all things? Or do you look to one of the many God-substitutes people have trusted instead of Him? Your answer has important facial implications. If you place your trust in God, then our verse says He "will put a smile on your face." That is, He will actually reward your trust by helping you and, as a result, make you happy. This does not mean that believers in God are never sad. A cursory reading of the Psalms is enough to prove that point. But it does mean that God will come through in times of trouble and turn your sad face into a happy face. It means that ultimately, at rock bottom, the person who trusts God has a lot to be happy about, even when things are not going well. Further, if you place your trust in God, our verse says that you "will have no need to be ashamed." That is, God will reward your trust by helping you and, as a result, remove whatever shame you felt about the situation. This does not mean that believers in God never have any reason to be ashamed. Again, the Psalms themselves prove that point. But it does mean that God will help when needed and thereby remove the red in your face. It means that those who trust in God will overcome their shame. There is nothing wrong with your face. There is nothing wrong that cannot be corrected by more trust in God. 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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