Bible League: Living His Word Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.Our verses for today are part of Jesus' final instructions to His disciples before He made the ultimate sacrifice. In them He tells His disciples how they should pray after He departs from them. They should ask the Father for whatever they need in His name. Up until this point the disciples had not used Jesus' name when they prayed. Apparently, they simply followed the old covenant practice of not specifically naming the mediator in their prayers to the Father. The reason why they did not specifically name a mediator was that the mediator had not yet been fully revealed as such. Like all old covenant saints, they simply did not know his name. Once Jesus fulfilled His sacrificial work on earth the disciples would remember what Jesus told them and realize that "Jesus" is the name of the mediator. Everything would then change---including how they should pray. They should then come before the Father in heaven in the name of Jesus, the mediator between God and His people. Jesus promises that if the disciples come before the Father in His name they will receive whatever it is they ask for. Although in and of themselves they are not worthy to receive anything from the Father, because of the meritorious, all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus the Father is willing to bless those who come in Jesus' name with whatever it is they need. Further, they will receive and their joy will be complete. It is part and parcel of the sinful spiritual state of humanity to not ask the Father for anything, much less ask Him in Jesus' name. Those dominated by the sinful spiritual state prefer to go it alone in life, prefer to solve their own problems, and get any glory that comes from it. The message of our verses for today, however, is not for the proud. It is a message for those who realize that we must come before the Father in all humility and ask for what we need in order to fulfill our mission in life. Indeed, we must come before the Father and ask, not in our own name, but in the name of Jesus. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 59, 60, 61 Psalm 59 -- David's Psalm of Deliverance (1Sa 20) NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 60 -- David's Psalm of Victory (2Sa 8) NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 61 -- Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 28:16-31 Acts 28 -- Paul Ashore at Malta; Preaches at Rome NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven't done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich. Insight This man's wealth made his life comfortable and gave him power and prestige. When Jesus told him to sell everything he owned, Jesus was touching the very basis of his security and identity. The man did not understand that he would be even more secure if he followed Jesus than he was with all his wealth. Jesus does not ask all believers to sell everything they have, although this may be his will for some. He does ask us all, however, to get rid of anything that has become more important than God. Challenge If your basis for security has shifted from God to what you own, it would be better for you to get rid of those possessions. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Mark 14:72 And when he thought thereon, he wept.It has been thought by some that as long as Peter lived, the fountain of his tears began to flow whenever he remembered his denying his Lord. It is not unlikely that it was so, for his sin was very great, and grace in him had afterwards a perfect work. This same experience is common to all the redeemed family according to the degree in which the Spirit of God has removed the natural heart of stone. We, like Peter, remember our boastful promise: "Though all men shall forsake thee, yet will not I." We eat our own words with the bitter herbs of repentance. When we think of what we vowed we would be, and of what we have been, we may weep whole showers of grief. He thought on his denying his Lord. The place in which he did it, the little cause which led him into such heinous sin, the oaths and blasphemies with which he sought to confirm his falsehood, and the dreadful hardness of heart which drove him to do so again and yet again. Can we, when we are reminded of our sins, and their exceeding sinfulness, remain stolid and stubborn? Will we not make our house a Bochim, and cry unto the Lord for renewed assurances of pardoning love? May we never take a dry-eyed look at sin, lest ere long we have a tongue parched in the flames of hell. Peter also thought upon his Master's look of love. The Lord followed up the cock's warning voice with an admonitory look of sorrow, pity, and love. That glance was never out of Peter's mind so long as he lived. It was far more effectual than ten thousand sermons would have been without the Spirit. The penitent apostle would be sure to weep when he recollected the Saviour's full forgiveness, which restored him to his former place. To think that we have offended so kind and good a Lord is more than sufficient reason for being constant weepers. Lord, smite our rocky hearts, and make the waters flow. Daily Light on the Daily Path Colossians 3:1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.Proverbs 4:5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. Job 28:14 "The deep says, 'It is not in me'; And the sea says, 'It is not with me.' Romans 6:4,5 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. • For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Ephesians 2:4-6 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, • even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), • and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Hebrews 11:14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. Zephaniah 2:3 Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD'S anger. 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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