Bible League: Living His Word "I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don't be troubled. Don't be afraid."— John 14:27 ERV Peace. I can surely say that this is the main dream of humanity in this world, where we live in very hard and difficult times. Who thought that someday the terrible wars would take our peace, would destroy our lives? Who thought that someday Russia and the Ukraine, almost one Slavic nation would start the war and have the terrible results? Who thought that Israel and Palestine would have a destroying war? We Armenians know about war. We have experienced terrible wars and their results, and still, we have the danger of war in this area. I surely say that we Armenians need peace much more. But unfortunately, we see that in today's world it is not possible to avoid wars, because people are evil, especially the geopolitical leaders have become like tools in the hands of devil. The word "peace" has important meaning in itself. We need peace in our lives, in our families, in our societies, in our countries. But the most important is this: we need peace first in our hearts. And it is a fact that the only source of true peace is Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. As Christians, we know the truth and we realize that as long as we live on this earth, wars can be any time. Even our Lord said, "You will hear about wars that are being fought. And you will hear stories about other wars beginning. But don't be afraid. These things must happen before the end comes. Nations will fight against other nations. Kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms. There will be times when there is no food for people to eat. And there will be earthquakes in different places" (Matthew 24:6-7). Our Lord still says to us, "Don't be afraid!" But we have His great promise, that only He can provide us the true peace, which comes from the Lord. We have His encouraging promise also, "I have told you these things so that you can have peace in Me. In this world, you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world" (John 16:33). And this is a really encouraging promise. Yes, the Lord Jesus is the source of peace, and He only can give us the true and real peace. Let us be brave and trust Him only, and surely He will give His peace to our hearts. By Artur Ispiryan, Bible League International partner, Armenia Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Samuel 25, 26 1 Samuel 25 -- Samuel Dies; David Marries Abigail NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Samuel 26 -- David Spares Saul a Second Time NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 16:19-31 Luke 16 -- The Parables of the Shrewd Manager, and the Rich Man and Lazarus NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;only fools insist on quarreling. Insight A person who is truly confident of his or her strength does not need to parade it. A truly brave person does not look for chances to prove it. A resourceful woman can find a way out of a fight. A man of endurance will avoid retaliating. Foolish people find it impossible to avoid strife. Men and women of character can. Challenge What kind of person are you? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Joshua 2:21 She bound the scarlet line in the window.Rahab depended for her preservation upon the promise of the spies, whom she looked upon as the representatives of the God of Israel. Her faith was simple and firm, but it was very obedient. To tie the scarlet line in the window was a very trivial act in itself, but she dared not run the risk of omitting it. Come, my soul, is there not here a lesson for thee? Hast thou been attentive to all thy Lord's will, even though some of his commands should seem non-essential? Hast thou observed in his own way the two ordinances of believers' baptism and the Lord's Supper? These neglected, argue much unloving disobedience in thy heart. Be henceforth in all things blameless, even to the tying of a thread, if that be matter of command. This act of Rahab sets forth a yet more solemn lesson. Have I implicitly trusted in the precious blood of Jesus? Have I tied the scarlet cord, as with a Gordian knot in my window, so that my trust can never be removed? Or can I look out towards the Dead Sea of my sins, or the Jerusalem of my hopes, without seeing the blood, and seeing all things in connection with its blessed power? The passer-by can see a cord of so conspicuous a colour, if it hangs from the window: it will be well for me if my life makes the efficacy of the atonement conspicuous to all onlookers. What is there to be ashamed of? Let men or devils gaze if they will, the blood is my boast and my song. My soul, there is One who will see that scarlet line, even when from weakness of faith thou canst not see it thyself; Jehovah, the Avenger, will see it and pass over thee. Jericho's walls fell flat: Rahab's house was on the wall, and yet it stood unmoved; my nature is built into the wall of humanity, and yet when destruction smites the race, I shall be secure. My soul, tie the scarlet thread in the window afresh, and rest in peace. Daily Light on the Daily Path Deuteronomy 18:18 'I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.Deuteronomy 5:5 while I was standing between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD; for you were afraid because of the fire and did not go up the mountain. He said, 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, Numbers 12:3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.) Matthew 11:29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. Philippians 2:5-8 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, • who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, • but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. • Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Hebrews 3:5,6 Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; • but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house-- whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. 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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