Bible League: Living His Word See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled…— Hebrews 12:15 ESV The letter to the Hebrews cautions us to let no root of bitterness spring up and cause defilement. The author describes bitterness as a root. What we need to know is that roots stay underground. You can't see the root; but if you let it grow, it will sprout. It is certain that a bitter root will bring forth bitter fruit. What's inside will show outside. Often, believers try to attractively arrange fruits, branches or leaves. In other words, we try to fix the facade. We deal with the symptoms and the circumstances, but the ugly fruit is not the real problem. We have to go to the source and get rid of the ugly root. Proverbs 4:23 says: "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (NIV) One of our main responsibilities is to keep poison out of our hearts. Stop the growth of it cutting them as soon as they sprout and dig them out. Disappointments, pain, jealousy, anger will come. You can't stop temptation from coming. The question is will you let it take root? If you let those feelings descend into your soul, they will contaminate your joy, steal your peace, take your energy, open you to sickness, trouble, and loss. Don't allow it; keep your soul healthy. Your heart may feel broken, wounded, hurt by mistakes you've made or by what someone else has done. But your spirit can be restored. When you get honest with yourself and release what you need to let go of—guilt, worry, anger, jealousy—then healing will come. Joy will come. Peace will come. God is restoring souls. All kinds of emotional healing is happening: healing from hurts, past suffering, what wasn't right, loss, heartache, healing from self-inflicted wounds, mistakes we've made, regrets we're living with, healing from tormenting spirits, from mental illness, from anxiety, and depression. God is doing a new thing. He restores the joy of salvation. Don't believe the lying roots that it's too late, that you've made too many mistakes, and that you've been through too much. No, the best part of your life is still ahead of you. Begin today to cut off every root of evil and live free. By Pastor Sabri Kasemi, Bible League International partner, Albania Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJob 7, 8, 9 Job 7 -- Job Declares His Life Seems Futile NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Job 8 -- Bildad Shows God's Justice to the Good NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Job 9 -- Job Acknowledges God's Justice NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 7:44-60 Acts 7 -- Stephen's Speech, Stoning and Death NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion “I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”Insight How can you “receive the Kingdom of God like a child”? Adults considering the Christian faith for the first time will have life experiences that take them way past the ability to be as innocent as children. Jesus does not ask us to put aside our experiences, but he does require a change of attitude: adult self-sufficiency must recognize its need for the sovereign God; adult moral defensiveness must humble itself before the holy God; and adult skeptical toughness must soften before the loving God. Children do not feel supremely powerful, perfectly righteous, or totally autonomous. These are adult fantasies. Challenge Coming to Jesus means to accept his goodness on your behalf, confess your need, and commit your life to his tender guidance. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Isaiah 14:10 Art thou become like unto us?What must be the apostate professor's doom when his naked soul appears before God? How will he bear that voice, "Depart, ye cursed; thou hast rejected me, and I reject thee; thou hast played the harlot, and departed from me: I also have banished thee forever from my presence, and will not have mercy upon thee." What will be this wretch's shame at the last great day when, before assembled multitudes, the apostate shall be unmasked? See the profane, and sinners who never professed religion, lifting themselves up from their beds of fire to point at him. "There he is," says one, "will he preach the gospel in hell?" "There he is," says another, "he rebuked me for cursing, and was a hypocrite himself!" "Aha!" says another, "here comes a psalm-singing Methodist--one who was always at his meeting; he is the man who boasted of his being sure of everlasting life; and here he is!" No greater eagerness will ever be seen among Satanic tormentors, than in that day when devils drag the hypocrite's soul down to perdition. Bunyan pictures this with massive but awful grandeur of poetry when he speaks of the back-way to hell. Seven devils bound the wretch with nine cords, and dragged him from the road to heaven, in which he had professed to walk, and thrust him through the back-door into hell. Mind that back-way to hell, professors! "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith." Look well to your state; see whether you be in Christ or not. It is the easiest thing in the world to give a lenient verdict when oneself is to be tried; but O, be just and true here. Be just to all, but be rigorous to yourself. Remember if it be not a rock on which you build, when the house shall fall, great will be the fall of it. O may the Lord give you sincerity, constancy, and firmness; and in no day, however evil, may you be led to turn aside. Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 Chronicles 4:10 Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested.Proverbs 10:22 It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it. Job 34:29 When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn? And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him, That is, in regard to both nation and man?-- Psalm 3:8 Salvation belongs to the LORD; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah. Psalm 31:19 How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of men! John 17:15 "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. Matthew 7:7,8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. • "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Psalm 34:22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned. 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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