Bible League: Living His Word "... If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here."— Exodus 33:15 NKJV The Lord made a promise to Moses. He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" (Exodus 33:14). What does it mean? It means that the Lord would go with Moses and the people of Israel on their journey through life. In particular, it means that He would go with them when they left the wilderness and fought their way into the promised land, the place where they would ultimately find rest. He would not leave them nor forsake them. He would go with them and help them all along the way. The promise the Lord made to Moses is a promise that He makes to all of His people of every age. He promises to go with us on our individual and collective journeys through life. He has said, for example, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye" (Psalm 32:8). He has said, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10), and He has said many similar things in many other places in the Bible. So important was the presence of the Lord to Moses that, as our verse for today makes clear, he did not want to leave the wilderness without it. From his point of view, it's better to stay right where you are with the Lord's presence, even if it's in a harsh wilderness, than to move forward without it, even if it's into a lush promised land. After all, if the people of Israel had to move forward on their own they would not have God's help to take on all the enemies that occupied the land. The same goes for us. It's better to stay right where we are with the presence of the Lord than to move to a new place without it. Indeed, we shouldn't move anywhere on the journey of life without the Lord's guidance, showing the way, clearing the path, and helping us to make it safely. Our prayer then should always be, "Lord, I don't want to go anywhere without you." Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 107, 108 Psalm 107 -- BOOK 5: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his loving kindness endures forever. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 108 -- David's Psalm of Steadfastness (2Sa 23) NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Romans 15:21-33 Romans 15 -- We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak; Paul Plans to Visit Rome NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!”Insight This is one of the most powerful statements uttered by Jesus. When he said that he existed before Abraham was born, he undeniably proclaimed his divinity. Not only did Jesus say that he existed before Abraham, he also applied God's holy name to himself. This claim demands a response. It cannot be ignored. The Jewish leaders tried to stone Jesus for blasphemy because he claimed equality with God. But Jesus is God. Challenge How have you responded to Jesus, the Son of God? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 52:8 The mercy of God.Meditate a little on this mercy of the Lord. It is tender mercy. With gentle, loving touch, he healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He is as gracious in the manner of his mercy as in the matter of it. It is great mercy. There is nothing little in God; his mercy is like himself--it is infinite. You cannot measure it. His mercy is so great that it forgives great sins to great sinners, after great lengths of time, and then gives great favors and great privileges, and raises us up to great enjoyments in the great heaven of the great God. It is undeserved mercy, as indeed all true mercy must be, for deserved mercy is only a misnomer for justice. There was no right on the sinner's part to the kind consideration of the Most High; had the rebel been doomed at once to eternal fire he would have richly merited the doom, and if delivered from wrath, sovereign love alone has found a cause, for there was none in the sinner himself. It is rich mercy. Some things are great, but have little efficacy in them, but this mercy is a cordial to your drooping spirits; a golden ointment to your bleeding wounds; a heavenly bandage to your broken bones; a royal chariot for your weary feet; a bosom of love for your trembling heart. It is manifold mercy. As Bunyan says, "All the flowers in God's garden are double." There is no single mercy. You may think you have but one mercy, but you shall find it to be a whole cluster of mercies. It is abounding mercy. Millions have received it, yet far from its being exhausted; it is as fresh, as full, and as free as ever. It is unfailing mercy. It will never leave thee. If mercy be thy friend, mercy will be with thee in temptation to keep thee from yielding; with thee in trouble to prevent thee from sinking; with thee living to be the light and life of thy countenance; and with thee dying to be the joy of thy soul when earthly comfort is ebbing fast. Daily Light on the Daily Path James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.Genesis 18:27,28 And Abraham replied, "Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes. • "Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?" And He said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, John 17:9,20 "I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; • "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. James 5:16,17 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. • Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 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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