Bible League: Living His Word When Jesus finished praying, he left with his followers and went across the Kidron Valley. He went into a garden there, his followers still with him.— John 18:1 ERV The Kidron Valley is a place outside Jerusalem, along the Mount of Olives. The name Kidron denotes a dark place or murkiness of water. The Kidron Valley gives a sense of sorrow, judgement, and death—which our Lord and Savior underwent for us. Jesus was prayerful and He kept His communion with Abba Father. He often prayed in secluded areas (Luke 5:16). Jesus' mission was built around prayer, keeping the connection with Abba Father—He prayed regularly, and this shaped His relationship with God. He imparted the same habit to His disciples and all believers. No matter how pressured, tired, despairing, heart-broken and strained we may feel as we go through different "valleys," we should never miss the opportunity to pray (2 Corinthians 4:7-11). In chapter 17 of John, Jesus is deep in His high-priestly prayer with Abba Father. After praying, He went across the Kidron Valley to the garden in which He would be betrayed. Beloved, we all have different valleys to go across. David went through the valley of death and trusted God to be the Good Shepherd who took him through! This builds our faith and trust in God! A minister once shared with me the story of a church member who called him around 3 a.m. in despair. In tears, she said, "Pastor, I am going through hell!" He responded by praising God: "Hallelujah! Keep going my daughter!" Shocked, the lady reiterated: "Pastor, I said I am going through hell." Then, the pastor said, "My daughter, I am praising God since you are not camping in hell or giving up in hell! This means you are passing through; however, Jesus Christ is with you and will carry you through to testify tomorrow when you have overcome!" Beloveds, whatever painful valley you might be going through, keep your head high to the mountains, and remember where your help comes from! God, the maker of heaven and earth, is with you! All He wants to see is your faith which pleases him and shames the devil. Job went through a terrible valley; however, he was still confessing faith (Job 19:25). The day of our Lord's return is near; let us not surrender in the valley of challenges and hopelessness. God, Emmanuel, is with us! By Christopher Thetswe, Bible League International staff, South Africa Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingDaniel 5, 6 Daniel 5 -- Belshazzar's Impious Feast; Daniel Interprets the Handwriting on the Wall NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Daniel 6 -- Daniel, under Darius, Refuses to Worship Idols; Survives the Lions' Den NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 John 4 1 John 4 -- Testing the Spirits; Love One Another, for Love Is of God; NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.Insight Giving honor to marriage will require the utmost in Christian conviction and sensitivity. Modern social theory may redefine the family, and the new definitions may be far from its biblical foundation. Challenge What can you do? Witness to the depth of God's love for you by keeping your marriage happy and strong. Remain faithful—in body and in mind. Pray for your spouse. Honor biblical marriage (consenting man-woman unions) by resisting political pressure to recognize and legalize other sexual preferences. Teach children the biblical meaning of marriage. Pray early for their own eventual spouses and families. Make marriage enrichment the goal of your small group discussions and study. Encourage the marriages around you to stay strong as well. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you.We know of a place in England still existing, where a dole of bread is served to every passerby who chooses to ask for it. Whoever the traveller may be, he has but to knock at the door of St. Cross Hospital, and there is the dole of bread for him. Jesus Christ so loveth sinners that he has built a St. Cross Hospital, so that whenever a sinner is hungry, he has but to knock and have his wants supplied. Nay, he has done better; he has attached to this Hospital of the Cross a bath; and whenever a soul is black and filthy, it has but to go there and be washed. The fountain is always full, always efficacious. No sinner ever went into it and found that it could not wash away his stains. Sins which were scarlet and crimson have all disappeared, and the sinner has been whiter than snow. As if this were not enough, there is attached to this Hospital of the Cross a wardrobe, and a sinner making application simply as a sinner, may be clothed from head to foot; and if he wishes to be a soldier, he may not merely have a garment for ordinary wear, but armour which shall cover him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. If he asks for a sword, he shall have that given to him, and a shield too. Nothing that is good for him shall be denied him. He shall have spending-money so long as he lives, and he shall have an eternal heritage of glorious treasure when he enters into the joy of his Lord. If all these things are to be had by merely knocking at mercy's door, O my soul, knock hard this morning, and ask large things of thy generous Lord. Leave not the throne of grace till all thy wants have been spread before the Lord, and until by faith thou hast a comfortable prospect that they shall be all supplied. No bashfulness need retard when Jesus invites. No unbelief should hinder when Jesus promises. No cold-heartedness should restrain when such blessings are to be obtained. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.Hebrews 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. Romans 8:17,18 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. • For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Job 23:10,11 "But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. • "My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside. Deuteronomy 8:2,5,6 "You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. • "Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. • "Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. 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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