Bible League: Living His Word Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life will enter the city.— Revelation 21:27 ERV This past year my wife and I had several conversations in which we were astonished to realize that although we thought some event or activity happened a year or so ago, it had actually taken place 3 or 4 years ago. We decided the lost years of COVID were to blame and all the chaos that came with those years. Unfortunately, for far too many people, these past few years have been a time of lost hope—a lost hope for the present as well as for the future. Too many feel that hope has been canceled in their hearts. However, hope has never been and never will be lost or cancelled for the Christian. In Exodus 32:32 we find the first mention of God's book of life. It is a divine ledger of the citizens of the kingdom community—God's people of Israel. The passage speaks also of some who have sinned against God, and there is a blotting out of those names from the book. Such action by God in the erasing of names from the ledger indicates a loss of citizenship and fellowship with God. But the good news is that for those in Christ our citizenship is in heaven, and so we eagerly await the Lord's return from heaven (Philippians 3:20). Our names are written in the divine ledger of heaven known as the Lamb's book of life. I recently heard a pastor liken this truth of becoming and being a Christian to when God cuts a name from the book of life and then pastes it into the Lamb's book of life. Wherein the Old Testament book of life implies privilege and the partaking in temporary blessings from God's kingdom, the Lamb's book of life does not imply, but rather ensures those in Christ of partaking in the present and eternal blessings of God's heavenly kingdom. Such is the blessed faith and hope of the true Christian (Hebrews 11:1). Heaven, not earth, is our hope as believers. Heaven is our victory. As Jesus told us: "Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:1-2). Beloved of Christ, putting one's hope in people or in the fleeting things of the world will only lead to lost years and regret for what you could have done for Christ. Instead, let your hope of eternity be your joy. Set your heart above as a heavenly-minded person whose citizenship is in the kingdom of heaven and whose name shall never be blotted out of the Lamb's book of life. By Pastor David Massie, Bible League International staff, California U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJeremiah 1, 2 Jeremiah 1 -- The Call of Jeremiah; Almond Rod and Boiling Pot NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Jeremiah 2 -- Judah Forsakes God NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 2 Thessalonians 2 2 Thessalonians 2 -- Standing Firm in the Faith NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.Insight God is interested in every part of our lives, not just the spiritual part. As we live by the Holy Spirit's power, we need to submit every aspect of our lives to God—emotional, physical, social, intellectual, vocational. Paul says that because we're saved, we should live like it! Challenge The Holy Spirit is the source of your new life, so keep in step with his leading. Don't let anything or anyone else determine your values and standards in any area of your life. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Job 35:10 God, my maker, who giveth songs in the night.Any man can sing in the day. When the cup is full, man draws inspiration from it. When wealth rolls in abundance around him, any man can praise the God who gives a plenteous harvest or sends home a loaded argosy. It is easy enough for an Aeolian harp to whisper music when the winds blow--the difficulty is for music to swell forth when no wind is stirring. It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but he is skilful who sings when there is not a ray of light to read by--who sings from his heart. No man can make a song in the night of himself; he may attempt it, but he will find that a song in the night must be divinely inspired. Let all things go well, I can weave songs, fashioning them wherever I go out of the flowers that grow upon my path; but put me in a desert, where no green thing grows, and wherewith shall I frame a hymn of praise to God? How shall a mortal man make a crown for the Lord where no jewels are? Let but this voice be clear, and this body full of health, and I can sing God's praise: silence my tongue, lay me upon the bed of languishing, and how shall I then chant God's high praises, unless he himself give me the song? No, it is not in man's power to sing when all is adverse, unless an altar-coal shall touch his lip. It was a divine song, which Habakkuk sang, when in the night he said, "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Then, since our Maker gives songs in the night, let us wait upon him for the music. O thou chief musician, let us not remain songless because affliction is upon us, but tune thou our lips to the melody of thanksgiving. Daily Light on the Daily Path Philippians 2:1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,Job 14:1,2 "Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil. • "Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain. Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. John 14:16,26 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; • "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, • who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 1 Thessalonians 4:14,17,18 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. • Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. • Therefore comfort one another with these words. 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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