Bible League: Living His Word Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls..."— Jeremiah 6:16 NKJV Everyone comes to the crossroads of life. At those times, everyone must make a decision. How should this be handled? The first thing is to look and see. Don't just march off on a whim. Don't hastily make a decision, as if it doesn't really matter which way you take. Prayerfully consider the options, before you make big decisions. The way forward is not always obvious, and there may be more than one way which seems good at first. Don't allow your eagerness to stampede you into making a wrong decision. The second thing is to ask around. Big decisions could use some sound advice. The proverb says, "Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14). No person has all the answers. There are godly people that have gone before you, who know what lies at the end of a given path. They can give you the advice you need. They can tell you what happened to them, and even if you don't take their advice, you'll have more knowledge to work with. The third thing is to ask your counselors for the old paths and the good ways. Not just any way will do. There are ways that are tried and true. There are ways that everyone should take. Even though the way forward is new for you, it's an old path that the righteous have always followed. You don't want to get bogged down in the byways and miss the highways. You don't want to stumble on uncut paths and miss the ancient ones cut deeply and smoothly into the terrain (Jeremiah 18:15). The fourth thing is to walk in it. Once the way forward is clear, once the old path and the good way comes into focus, then walk in it. Don't be stubborn. Don't demand to be different. It's not easy to leave the pathways of righteousness, for "The way of the unfaithful is hard" (Proverbs 13:15). If you take these steps, you'll make it easy on yourself; you'll find rest for your soul. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 17, 18 Psalm 17 -- Hear, O Lord, my righteous plea; Give ear to my prayer NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 18 -- I love you, O Lord, my strength. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 19:1-20 Acts 19 -- Miracles, Preaching and Riot in Ephesus NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn't in our group.”But Jesus said, “Don't stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.” Insight The disciples were jealous. Nine of them together were unable to drive out a single evil spirit, but when they saw a man who was not one of their group driving out demons, they told him to stop. Challenge Our pride is hurt when someone else succeeds where we have failed, but Jesus says there is no room for such jealousy in the spiritual warfare of his kingdom. Share Jesus' open-arms attitude to Christian workers outside your group. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Leviticus 6:13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.Keep the altar of private prayer burning. This is the very life of all piety. The sanctuary and family altars borrow their fires here, therefore let this burn well. Secret devotion is the very essence, evidence, and barometer, of vital and experimental religion. Burn here the fat of your sacrifices. Let your closet seasons be, if possible, regular, frequent, and undisturbed. Effectual prayer availeth much. Have you nothing to pray for? Let us suggest the Church, the ministry, your own soul, your children, your relations, your neighbours, your country, and the cause of God and truth throughout the world. Let us examine ourselves on this important matter. Do we engage with lukewarmness in private devotion? Is the fire of devotion burning dimly in our hearts? Do the chariot wheels drag heavily? If so, let us be alarmed at this sign of decay. Let us go with weeping, and ask for the Spirit of grace and of supplications. Let us set apart special seasons for extraordinary prayer. For if this fire should be smothered beneath the ashes of a worldly conformity, it will dim the fire on the family altar, and lessen our influence both in the Church and in the world. The text will also apply to the altar of the heart. This is a golden altar indeed. God loves to see the hearts of his people glowing towards himself. Let us give to God our hearts, all blazing with love, and seek his grace, that the fire may never be quenched; for it will not burn if the Lord does not keep it burning. Many foes will attempt to extinguish it; but if the unseen hand behind the wall pour thereon the sacred oil, it will blaze higher and higher. Let us use texts of Scripture as fuel for our heart's fire, they are live coals; let us attend sermons, but above all, let us be much alone with Jesus. Daily Light on the Daily Path Matthew 6:10 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.Psalm 103:20,21 Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! • Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will. John 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. Psalm 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart." Matthew 26:42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done." Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Romans 2:13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. John 13:17 "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. James 4:17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 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. 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