Bible League: Living His Word LORD, I am in deep trouble,so I am calling to you for help. There aren't many atheists in foxholes. When people encounter extreme danger, whether in a foxhole during war or in any perilous situation of any kind, many of them turn to God for help. There have been scientific studies that have shown that a significant percentage of people under severe stress turn to God. Some ethnologists have even made the claim that this is a worldwide, universal phenomenon. From the biblical point of view, the existence of this phenomenon is less than surprising. One of the reasons for this can be found in Paul's letter to the Romans. In Romans, Paul says that everyone knows God. Although people may not honor Him as God or thank Him for anything, they know of His existence and nature (Romans 1:21). It makes sense, then, that when they encounter extreme danger some of them turn to Him for help. The psalmist in our verse for today was in deep trouble and he turned to God. He knew God and he knew what God is like. He knew that God is the one you turn to in times of trouble. He knew that you must call out to God and ask Him to listen to your cry for help (Psalm 130:2). When real trouble comes along the impotence of the false gods people ordinarily rely upon is revealed and they turn to the one that can actually do something. They surrender their pride and stubbornness and humbly request the help of God. The psalmist also knew that God is a forgiving God. He knew that God would listen to his cry for help despite his sin. He said, "LORD, if you punished people for all their sins, no one would be left alive" (Psalm 130:3). We may come before God and ask for help in our times of trouble because God is willing to forgive the penitential heart. He is worthy, therefore, of our fear and respect. He is worthy of the great praise and worship that He receives. Today, you may find yourself in deep trouble. You may find that everything you had originally counted on to sustain you and help you is totally unreliable. Today may be the day to surrender your pride and stubbornness. Today may be the day to call to God for help. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingSong of Solomon 1, 2, 3 Song of Solomon 1 -- The Song of songs, which is Solomon's. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Song of Solomon 2 -- I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Song of Solomon 3 -- By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 2 Corinthians 12 2 Corinthians 12 -- Paul's Vision, Thorn, and Concern for Corinthians NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion So let's stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.Insight Both strong and weak Christians can cause their brothers and sisters to stumble. The strong but insensitive Christian may flaunt his or her freedom and intentionally offend others' consciences. The scrupulous but weak Christian may try to fence others in with petty rules and regulations, thus causing dissension. Paul wants his readers to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others' needs. Challenge Because we are all strong in some areas and weak in others, we need constantly to monitor the effects of our behavior on others. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 26:9 Gather not my soul with sinners.Fear made David pray thus, for something whispered, "Perhaps, after all, thou mayst be gathered with the wicked." That fear, although marred by unbelief, springs, in the main, from holy anxiety, arising from the recollection of past sin. Even the pardoned man will enquire, "What if at the end my sins should be remembered, and I should be left out of the catalogue of the saved?" He recollects his present unfruitfulness--so little grace, so little love, so little holiness, and looking forward to the future, he considers his weakness and the many temptations which beset him, and he fears that he may fall, and become a prey to the enemy. A sense of sin and present evil, and his prevailing corruptions, compel him to pray, in fear and trembling, "Gather not my soul with sinners." Reader, if you have prayed this prayer, and if your character be rightly described in the Psalm from which it is taken, you need not be afraid that you shall be gathered with sinners. Have you the two virtues which David had--the outward walking in integrity, and the inward trusting in the Lord? Are you resting upon Christ's sacrifice, and can you compass the altar of God with humble hope? If so, rest assured, with the wicked you never shall be gathered, for that calamity is impossible. The gathering at the judgment is like to like. "Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." If, then, thou art like God's people, thou shalt be with God's people. You cannot be gathered with the wicked, for you are too dearly bought. Redeemed by the blood of Christ, you are his forever, and where he is, there must his people be. You are loved too much to be cast away with reprobates. Shall one dear to Christ perish? Impossible! Hell cannot hold thee! Heaven claims thee! Trust in thy Surety and fear not! Daily Light on the Daily Path 2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.John 14:16,17 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; • that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 16:13,14 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. • "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. Romans 5:5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 1 Corinthians 6:17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? Ephesians 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for 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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