Evening, November 23
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Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news. Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”  — Isaiah 40:9
Bible League: Living His Word
"God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?"
— Numbers 23:19 ESV

Some people are determined to get what they want – no matter what. If they can't get what they want in the usual ways, they'll try unusual methods. Some will even try to manipulate supernatural power on their side. For them, God's power is just a means to an end. That's why Balak, the king of Moab, hired the prophet Balaam. He wanted the Israelite nation to be cursed and he was willing to pay good money to have it done. He hired Balaam to do the job because Balaam could directly communicate with God, the ultimate source of supernatural power (Numbers 22:9—10).

Balak said to Balaam, "I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed" (Numbers 22:6). The mistake that Balak made, however, was in thinking that Balaam could control God's favor. God, however, had other plans for the Israelite nation. He told Balaam, "You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed" (Numbers 22:12). As it turned out, Balaam received a command from God to bless Israel, instead of curse them. No matter how many times Balak tried, he could not get Balaam to change the blessing into a curse.

That's why Balaam spoke the words of our verse for today to Balak. God does what He says He's going to do and He fulfills what He has spoken. You can't control Him. You can't manipulate Him to do something that He doesn't want to do. Our job is not to get Him on board with our plans and purposes, but to get on board with His plans and purposes.

Learn from Balaam: don't ask God for what He won't give or try to use God for your own selfish purposes. Instead, pray prayers in line with what He has said and what He has spoken.
Bible in a Year
Old Testament Reading
Ezekiel 29, 30, 31


Ezekiel 29 -- Prophecy against Egypt

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Ezekiel 30 -- Lament for Egypt; Babylon Victorious

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Ezekiel 31 -- Pharaoh Warned of Assyria's Fate: the Assyrian was a Cedar in Lebanon

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


New Testament Reading
James 5


James 5 -- Misuse of Riches; Patience; The Prayer Offered in Faith

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library.
Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion
Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
Insight
Because God will examine what kind of workers we have been for him, we should build our lives on his Word and build his Word into our lives—it alone tells us how to live for him and serve him. Believers who ignore the Bible will certainly be ashamed at the judgment.
Challenge
Consistent and diligent study of God's Word is vital; otherwise, we will be lulled into neglecting God and our true purpose for living.
Morning and Evening by Spurgeon
Isaiah 40:9  Get thee up into the high mountain.

Each believer should be thirsting for God, for the living God, and longing to climb the hill of the Lord, and see him face to face. We ought not to rest content in the mists of the valley when the summit of Tabor awaits us. My soul thirsteth to drink deep of the cup which is reserved for those who reach the mountain's brow, and bathe their brows in heaven. How pure are the dews of the hills, how fresh is the mountain air, how rich the fare of the dwellers aloft, whose windows look into the New Jerusalem! Many saints are content to live like men in coal mines, who see not the sun; they eat dust like the serpent when they might taste the ambrosial meat of angels; they are content to wear the miner's garb when they might put on king's robes; tears mar their faces when they might anoint them with celestial oil. Satisfied I am that many a believer pines in a dungeon when he might walk on the palace roof, and view the goodly land and Lebanon. Rouse thee, O believer, from thy low condition! Cast away thy sloth, thy lethargy, thy coldness, or whatever interferes with thy chaste and pure love to Christ, thy soul's Husband. Make him the source, the centre, and the circumference of all thy soul's range of delight. What enchants thee into such folly as to remain in a pit when thou mayst sit on a throne? Live not in the lowlands of bondage now that mountain liberty is conferred upon thee. Rest no longer satisfied with thy dwarfish attainments, but press forward to things more sublime and heavenly. Aspire to a higher, a nobler, a fuller life. Upward to heaven! Nearer to God!

"When wilt thou come unto me, Lord?

Oh come, my Lord most dear!

Come near, come nearer, nearer still,

I'm blest when thou art near."

Daily Light on the Daily Path
John 18:36  Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."

Hebrews 10:12,13  but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, • waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.

Matthew 26:64  Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN."

1 Corinthians 15:25  For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.

1 Corinthians 15:57  but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:20-23  which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, • far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. • And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, • which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

1 Timothy 6:15  which He will bring about at the proper time-- He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

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.

Morning November 23
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