Bible League: Living His Word Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats.— 1 Peter 3:13-14 NLT Under normal circumstances, people will not want to harm you when you do good. People who lead good lives can typically expect to experience peace and tranquility in their dealings with other people. After all, the Bible says if you "Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper" (Psalm 37:3). Under normal circumstances, a good person can expect to receive good in return. There are times when you may suffer for doing what is good. In fact, you may suffer precisely because you are doing what is good. That's what happened to Jesus. Although He led a life of unqualified good, He was persecuted and ultimately crucified by wicked people. And that's what happened to the apostles as well. They suffered and died because they did nothing more than follow Jesus' example. Jesus Himself said, "... Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you..." (John 15:20). Although persecution is evil, the Apostle Peter says that good will come from it. He says that you will be rewarded for it. In saying this, he was alluding to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said, "God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs." (Matthew 5:10). Further, the Apostle Paul promised that "...God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (Romans 8:28). One might say that good is going to be returned to the good person – no matter what. Since good is going to be returned to you no matter what, there is no reason to worry or be afraid of the threats of the persecutors. When it happens, don't let it get the better of you. Instead, do what Jesus said to do. "Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven..." (Matthew 5:12). Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJob 26, 27, 28 Job 26 -- Job Declares the Greatness of God NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Job 27 -- Job Affirms His Own Righteousness; The wicked Will be Cursed NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Job 28 -- Wisdom Is Harder to Obtain than Earth's Treasures NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 11 Acts 11 -- Peter's Defense in Jerusalem; The Church at Antioch NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.Insight People were flocking to hear Jesus preach and to have their diseases healed, but Jesus made sure he often withdrew to quiet, solitary places to pray. Challenge Many things clamor for our attention, and we often run ourselves ragged attending to them. Like Jesus, however, we should take time to withdraw to a quiet and deserted place to pray. Strength comes from God, and we can only be strengthened by spending time with him. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Genesis 41:4 The ill favored and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven wellfavored and fat kine.Pharaoh's dream has too often been my waking experience. My days of sloth have ruinously destroyed all that I had achieved in times of zealous industry; my seasons of coldness have frozen all the genial glow of my periods of fervency and enthusiasm; and my fits of worldliness have thrown me back from my advances in the divine life. I had need to beware of lean prayers, lean praises, lean duties, and lean experiences, for these will eat up the fat of my comfort and peace. If I neglect prayer for never so short a time, I lose all the spirituality to which I had attained; if I draw no fresh supplies from heaven, the old corn in my granary is soon consumed by the famine which rages in my soul. When the caterpillars of indifference, the cankerworms of worldliness, and the palmerworms of self-indulgence, lay my heart completely desolate, and make my soul to languish, all my former fruitfulness and growth in grace avails me nothing whatever. How anxious should I be to have no lean-fleshed days, no ill-favored hours! If every day I journeyed towards the goal of my desires I should soon reach it, but backsliding leaves me still far off from the prize of my high calling, and robs me of the advances which I had so laboriously made. The only way in which all my days can be as the "fat kine," is to feed them in the right meadow, to spend them with the Lord, in His service, in His company, in His fear, and in His way. Why should not every year be richer than the past, in love, and usefulness, and joy?--I am nearer the celestial hills, I have had more experience of my Lord, and should be more like Him. O Lord, keep far from me the curse of leanness of soul; let me not have to cry, "My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me!" but may I be well-fed and nourished in thy house, that I may praise thy name. Daily Light on the Daily Path Romans 8:17 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.Galatians 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. 1 John 3:1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Galatians 4:7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, John 17:24 "Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. Revelation 2:26 'He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; Revelation 3:21 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 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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