Bible League: Living His Word For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.If you are a Christian, then you have been baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). As a result, the Holy Spirit now dwells within you (II Timothy 1:14) and, according to our verses for today, you can expect Him to lead you and guide you through life. There are two fundamentally opposed ways that we can live and be led. We can live and be led according to the flesh, or we can live and be led according to the Spirit. "Flesh" is the Apostle Paul's metaphor for the sinful spiritual state of human beings apart from Christ. If we live according to the flesh, then we will set our minds on the things of the flesh (Romans 8:5). We will be led by the wants and desires of our sinful spiritual state and we will live in hostility to God and to His laws (Romans 8:7). Following this way leads to death. If, on the other hand, we live according to the Spirit, then we will set our minds on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5). We will be led by the Spirit into a relationship of peace with God and obedience to His laws. Following this way leads to life. Although as Christians we have the Holy Spirit within us, although the Holy Spirit is there to guide us, we do not always follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. We sometimes follow the lead of the flesh. Instead of taking the time to find out what the Holy Spirit is saying, we hastily and impulsively move forward in accordance with the misguided wants and desires of the old sinful spiritual state. We suffer as a consequence. When the decision must be made, when the crossroad looms ahead, or when the crisis strikes, resist the haste and impulsivity of the flesh and take the time to pray for the guidance that the Spirit has for us. Get quiet before God, look deep within, and get ready for what the Spirit will reveal to you. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading2 Samuel 10, 11, 12 2 Samuel 10 -- David Defeats Ammon and Aram NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 2 Samuel 11 -- David and Bathsheba NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 2 Samuel 12 -- Nathan Rebukes David; Solomon Born NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 19:29-48 Luke 19 -- Zacchaeus Converted; Parable of the Ten Minas; Triumphal Entry; Driving Traders from Temple NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Trustworthy messengers refresh like snow in summer.They revive the spirit of their employer. Insight It is often difficult to find people you can really trust. A faithful employee (“messenger”) is punctual, responsible, honest, and hardworking. This person is invaluable as he or she helps take some of the pressure off his or her employer. Challenge Find out what your employer needs from you to make his or her job easier, and do it. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Nehemiah 9:38 And because of all this we make a sure covenant.There are many occasions in our experience when we may very rightly, and with benefit, renew our covenant with God. After recovery from sickness when, like Hezekiah, we have had a new term of years added to our life, we may fitly do it. After any deliverance from trouble, when our joys bud forth anew, let us again visit the foot of the cross, and renew our consecration. Especially, let us do this after any sin which has grieved the Holy Spirit, or brought dishonor upon the cause of God; let us then look to that blood which can make us whiter than snow, and again offer ourselves unto the Lord. We should not only let our troubles confirm our dedication to God, but our prosperity should do the same. If we ever meet with occasions which deserve to be called "crowning mercies" then, surely, if he hath crowned us, we ought also to crown our God; let us bring forth anew all the jewels of the divine regalia which have been stored in the jewel-closet of our heart, and let our God sit upon the throne of our love, arrayed in royal apparel. If we would learn to profit by our prosperity, we should not need so much adversity. If we would gather from a kiss all the good it might confer upon us, we should not so often smart under the rod. Have we lately received some blessing which we little expected? Has the Lord put our feet in a large room? Can we sing of mercies multiplied? Then this is the day to put our hand upon the horns of the altar, and say, "Bind me here, my God; bind me here with cords, even forever." Inasmuch as we need the fulfilment of new promises from God, let us offer renewed prayers that our old vows may not be dishonored. Let us this morning make with him a sure covenant, because of the pains of Jesus which for the last month we have been considering with gratitude. Daily Light on the Daily Path Genesis 21:1 Then the LORD took note of Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had promised.Psalm 62:8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. 1 Samuel 30:6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. Genesis 50:24 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob." Acts 7:34,36 'I HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN THE OPPRESSION OF MY PEOPLE IN EGYPT AND HAVE HEARD THEIR GROANS, AND I HAVE COME DOWN TO RESCUE THEM; COME NOW, AND I WILL SEND YOU TO EGYPT.' • "This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. Joshua 21:45 Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass. Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. 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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