Bible League: Living His Word The Father's teaching does not live in you, because you don't believe in the one the Father sent. You carefully study the Scriptures. You think that they give you eternal life. These same Scriptures tell about me! But you refuse to come to me to have that life.A person can diligently study Scripture and not be spiritually touched by Scripture. In point of fact, many scholars have devoted their lives to the study of Scripture and never truly believed what it says. For some, this happens because they approach Scripture from the point of view of the latest liberal perspective. That is, their true commitment is not to Scripture, but to a current liberal perspective they use to interpret Scripture. For others, this happens because they approach Scripture from the point of view of an older, more conservative perspective. That is, their true commitment is not to Scripture, but to an older, more conservative interpretation of Scripture. Either way, the teaching of the Scripture does not live in them. The Sadducees were the liberals of Jesus' day and the Pharisees were the conservatives. Most of the scholars from both groups carefully studied Scripture, but failed to be spiritually affected by it. Instead of Scripture having the place of authority in their lives, the perspective they used to interpret Scripture had the place of authority. Jesus said of them, '"You show great skill in avoiding the commands of God so that you can follow your own teachings!"' (Mark 7:9). Jesus knew that the Jewish leaders did not have the word of God in them because they did not accept Him for who He was. The word of God as Scripture spoke of Jesus. The word of God incarnate, on the other hand, actually was Jesus. Since the source of both words was the same, one would expect that a person who accepted one would accept the other. Since the Jewish leaders failed to do this, since they failed to accept Jesus, then they must have also failed to accept the word of God as Scripture. Jesus' message in our verse for today is a cautionary note for all of us. We should ask ourselves: Where do my faith and my commitment actually lie? Do they lie with the word of God as Scripture and with the word of God incarnate, or do they lie with the words and interpretations of mere human beings? Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingIsaiah 39, 40 Isaiah 39 -- Hezekiah Reveals Treasures to Babylonians NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 40 -- Comfort, comfort my people NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Philippians 4 Philippians 4 -- Whatever is true and right, think on these things; I can do all things through Christ NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.” When people commend themselves, it doesn't count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.Insight When we do something well, we want to tell others and be recognized. But recognition is dangerous—it can lead to inflated pride. How much better it is to seek the praise of God rather than the praise of people. Then, when we receive praise, we will be free to give God the credit. Challenge What should you change about the way you live in order to receive God's commendation? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Jude 1:20 Praying in the Holy Ghost.Mark the grand characteristic of true prayer--"In the Holy Ghost." The seed of acceptable devotion must come from heaven's storehouse. Only the prayer which comes from God can go to God. We must shoot the Lord's arrows back to him. That desire which he writes upon our heart will move his heart and bring down a blessing, but the desires of the flesh have no power with him. Praying in the Holy Ghost is praying in fervency. Cold prayers ask the Lord not to hear them. Those who do not plead with fervency, plead not at all. As well speak of lukewarm fire as of lukewarm prayer--it is essential that it be red hot. It is praying perseveringly. The true suppliant gathers force as he proceeds, and grows more fervent when God delays to answer. The longer the gate is closed, the more vehemently does he use the knocker, and the longer the angel lingers the more resolved is he that he will never let him go without the blessing. Beautiful in God's sight is tearful, agonizing, unconquerable importunity. It means praying humbly, for the Holy Spirit never puffs us up with pride. It is his office to convince of sin, and so to bow us down in contrition and brokenness of spirit. We shall never sing Gloria in excelsis except we pray to God De profundis: out of the depths must we cry, or we shall never behold glory in the highest. It is loving prayer. Prayer should be perfumed with love, saturated with love--love to our fellow saints, and love to Christ. Moreover, it must be a prayer full of faith. A man prevails only as he believes. The Holy Spirit is the author of faith, and strengthens it, so that we pray believing God's promise. O that this blessed combination of excellent graces, priceless and sweet as the spices of the merchant, might be fragrant within us because the Holy Ghost is in our hearts! Most blessed Comforter, exert thy mighty power within us, helping our infirmities in prayer. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 40:2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.1 Corinthians 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. Matthew 16:16,18 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." • "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Acts 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Hebrews 10:22,23 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. • Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; James 1:6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. Romans 8:35,37,39 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? • But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. • nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 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. 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