Bible League: Living His Word "... For the battle is not yours, but God's."— 2 Chronicles 20:15 NIV In this life, there are battles of many different kinds. The battle referred to in our verse for today was a military battle, but not every battle in life is military. There can be personal battles, educational battles, economic battles, political battles, religious battles, and other kinds as well. All of them, however, are spiritual battles at the foundation. The Apostle Paul tells us that our struggles in life, our battles, are "not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12). For the Christian, every battle is ultimately a spiritual battle against Satan and his henchmen. Although all these conflicts are ultimately spiritual battles, there is the temptation to take them as mere flesh and blood battles. After all, we can see flesh and blood, and so we can be tempted to think that's all there is to them. When we do this, however, we fool ourselves and what we actually do is fight the battles in the wrong power. What we should do, instead, is fight our battles with the power of God. What we should do is seek God and His strength for our battles. That's what Jehoshaphat did in the context of our verse. When the Moabites and their allies attacked Judah, Jehoshaphat's first response was to call for a fast and to cry out to God (2 Chronicles 20:3). When he did, God responded with the words of our verse for today. God assured him that the battle was His. The same goes for your battles, whatever kind they may be. If you call out to God, they'll become His battles, not yours. Indeed, Jehoshaphat and his army didn't even have to fight the battle that day (2 Chronicles 20:17). But even if you have to actually fight a battle, just as David had to actually fight Goliath, the battle will still be God's, not yours. For He will be with you and He will be fighting for you. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingEcclesiastes 7, 8, 9 Ecclesiastes 7 -- A good name is better than fine perfume NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Ecclesiastes 8 -- "Keep the king's command!" because of the oath to God. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Ecclesiastes 9 -- All things come alike to all. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 2 Corinthians 11 -- Paul Defends His Apostleship; Paul's Sufferings NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.Insight Most of us have learned how to pretend to love others—how to speak kindly, avoid hurting their feelings, and appear to take an interest in them. We may even be skilled in pretending to feel moved with compassion when we hear of others' needs, or to become indignant when we learn of injustice. But God calls us to real and sincere love that goes far beyond pretense and politeness. Sincere love requires concentration and effort. It means helping others become better people. It demands our time, money, and personal involvement. No individual has the capacity to express love to a whole community, but the body of Christ in your town does. Challenge Look for people who need your love, and look for ways you and your fellow believers can love your community for Christ. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 1 Samuel 1:27 For this child I prayed.Devout souls delight to look upon those mercies which they have obtained in answer to supplication, for they can see God's especial love in them. When we can name our blessings Samuel, that is, "asked of God," they will be as dear to us as her child was to Hannah. Peninnah had many children, but they came as common blessings unsought in prayer: Hannah's one heaven-given child was dearer far, because he was the fruit of earnest pleadings. How sweet was that water to Samson which he found at "the well of him that prayed!" Quassia cups turn all waters bitter, but the cup of prayer puts a sweetness into the draughts it brings. Did we pray for the conversion of our children? How doubly sweet, when they are saved, to see in them our own petitions fulfilled! Better to rejoice over them as the fruit of our pleadings than as the fruit of our bodies. Have we sought of the Lord some choice spiritual gift? When it comes to us it will be wrapped up in the gold cloth of God's faithfulness and truth, and so be doubly precious. Have we petitioned for success in the Lord's work? How joyful is the prosperity which comes flying upon the wings of prayer! It is always best to get blessings into our house in the legitimate way, by the door of prayer; then they are blessings indeed, and not temptations. Even when prayer speeds not, the blessings grow all the richer for the delay; the child Jesus was all the more lovely in the eyes of Mary when she found him after having sought him sorrowing. That which we win by prayer we should dedicate to God, as Hannah dedicated Samuel. The gift came from heaven, let it go to heaven. Prayer brought it, gratitude sang over it, let devotion consecrate it. Here will be a special occasion for saying, "Of thine own have I given unto thee." Reader, is prayer your element or your weariness? Which? Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 121:1,2 A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? • My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.Psalm 125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and forever. Psalm 123:1,2 A Song of Ascents. To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens! • Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He is gracious to us. Psalm 63:7 For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. 2 Chronicles 20:12 "O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." Psalm 25:15 My eyes are continually toward the LORD, For He will pluck my feet out of the net. Psalm 124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. 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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