Bible League: Living His Word Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word.— Psalm 119:74 ESV Of all the millions and billions of words that have made their way to paper and that vie for the attention of men, there are only a relative few that we can have confidence in. Which ones are they? God's Word. There are myriad other words out there that you could have placed your hope in, but you see them for what they are, the words of men. You know that the Word of God is different. You placed your hope in it. It was a good decision. Indeed, it was the best decision you've ever made and ever will make. It changed you and it changed your life forever. God's Word can rescue from a slimy pit. When every attempt made to crawl out, leads to a slippery slide back down to the bottom, it is God's Word that turns things around. God saw your faith in His Word, He heard your cry to Him, "Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope" (Psalm 119:49), and He lifted you out of that horrid place. By faith in God's Word you can be set in a solid and secure situation, standing on a rock instead of the slippery slope of the slimy pit (Psalm 40:1-2). Is it any wonder, then, that you began to sing God's praises? You placed your hope in His word, and His salvation forced a new song out of your mouth, a hymn of praise to Him. It was a song that went out into the world and told of what happened to you. Many people heard it and were encouraged to place their hope in God's word for themselves (Psalm 40:3). That's when those that fear God saw what happened to you and heard the song that you were singing. It made them happy. It reminded them of how much God had done for them. They, too, had been stuck in a pit. They, too, were saved by God. They rejoiced that you were spreading the word that could save other people just like them. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingDeuteronomy 26, 27 Deuteronomy 26 -- Offering First Fruits and Tithes NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Deuteronomy 27 -- The Altar and Curses on Mount Ebal NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Mark 15:1-26 Mark 15 -- Jesus before Pilate; Mocked by Soldiers; Crucifixion; Burial NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusationseven as I am praying for them! Insight David was angry at being attacked by evil people who slandered him and lied. Yet David remained a friend and a man of prayer. Challenge While we must hate evil and work to overcome it, we must love everyone, including those who do evil, because God loves them. We are called to hate the sin, but love the person. Only through God's strength will we be able to follow David's example. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 2 Timothy 2:1 Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.Christ has grace without measure in himself, but he hath not retained it for himself. As the reservoir empties itself into the pipes, so hath Christ emptied out his grace for his people. "Of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." He seems only to have in order to dispense to us. He stands like the fountain, always flowing, but only running in order to supply the empty pitchers and the thirsty lips which draw nigh unto it. Like a tree, he bears sweet fruit, not to hang on boughs, but to be gathered by those who need. Grace, whether its work be to pardon, to cleanse, to preserve, to strengthen, to enlighten, to quicken, or to restore, is ever to be had from him freely and without price; nor is there one form of the work of grace which he has not bestowed upon his people. As the blood of the body, though flowing from the heart, belongs equally to every member, so the influences of grace are the inheritance of every saint united to the Lamb; and herein there is a sweet communion between Christ and his Church, inasmuch as they both receive the same grace. Christ is the head upon which the oil is first poured; but the same oil runs to the very skirts of the garments, so that the meanest saint has an unction of the same costly moisture as that which fell upon the head. This is true communion when the sap of grace flows from the stem to the branch, and when it is perceived that the stem itself is sustained by the very nourishment which feeds the branch. As we day by day receive grace from Jesus, and more constantly recognize it as coming from him, we shall behold him in communion with us, and enjoy the felicity of communion with him. Let us make daily use of our riches, and ever repair to him as to our own Lord in covenant, taking from him the supply of all we need with as much boldness as men take money from their own purse. Daily Light on the Daily Path Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.Matthew 26:38,39 Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." • And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." Luke 22:44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. Psalm 116:3 The cords of death encompassed me And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. Psalm 69:20 Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, And for comforters, but I found none. Psalm 142:4 Look to the right and see; For there is no one who regards me; There is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul. Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem 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. |