Bible League: Living His Word "... I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven."— Acts 26:19 NIV On the road to Damascus, Saul, who would become the Apostle Paul, had a vision: "I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions." He also heard the Lord Jesus say to him: "get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me" (Acts 26:13,16-18). Saul was obedient to the vision. He began to preach the Gospel, "First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds" (Acts 26:20). If you're a Christian, then you receive a heavenly call as well. Most likely, your call will not be as dramatic as Paul's. The Lord can speak to His people through circumstances, an inner witness, or a strong impression, and of course, by His Word. Each message is meaningful to the receiver. Further, the content of your call is probably quite different from Paul's. Most Christians are not called to travel the world and preach the gospel. Some are called to be mothers. Some are called to go into business, or politics, or teaching, etc. Although every Christian is called to aid in the spread of the Gospel at some level, most are not in it full-time. The Lord rules over every area of life, and He calls people to serve Him in each of the areas. However, what's most important is that you, like Paul, not be disobedient to your heavenly calls when they come. Obedience always brings blessing. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingDeuteronomy 33, 34 Deuteronomy 33 -- Moses Blesses the Twelve Tribes NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Deuteronomy 34 -- The Death of Moses on Mount Nebo NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 1:24-56 Luke 1 -- Introduction; John's and Jesus' Birth Foretold; Mary's Song; Zachariah's Prophecy NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Praise the LORD, all you nations.Praise him, all you people of the earth. For he loves us with unfailing love; the LORD's faithfulness endures forever. Insight Have you ever said, “I can't think of anything God has done for me. How can I praise him?” This psalm gives two reasons for praising God: his great love toward us, and his faithfulness that endures forever. Challenge If he did nothing else for us, he would still be worthy of our highest praise. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Romans 4:20 Strong in faith.Christian, take good care of thy faith; for recollect faith is the only way whereby thou canst obtain blessings. If we want blessings from God, nothing can fetch them down but faith. Prayer cannot draw down answers from God's throne except it be the earnest prayer of the man who believes. Faith is the angelic messenger between the soul and the Lord Jesus in glory. Let that angel be withdrawn, we can neither send up prayer, nor receive the answers. Faith is the telegraphic wire which links earth and heaven--on which God's messages of love fly so fast, that before we call he answers, and while we are yet speaking he hears us. But if that telegraphic wire of faith be snapped, how can we receive the promise? Am I in trouble?--I can obtain help for trouble by faith. Am I beaten about by the enemy?--my soul on her dear Refuge leans by faith. But take faith away--in vain I call to God. There is no road betwixt my soul and heaven. In the deepest wintertime faith is a road on which the horses of prayer may travel--aye, and all the better for the biting frost; but blockade the road, and how can we communicate with the Great King? Faith links me with divinity. Faith clothes me with the power of God. Faith engages on my side the omnipotence of Jehovah. Faith ensures every attribute of God in my defence. It helps me to defy the hosts of hell. It makes me march triumphant over the necks of my enemies. But without faith how can I receive anything of the Lord? Let not him that wavereth--who is like a wave of the Sea--expect that he will receive anything of God! O, then, Christian, watch well thy faith; for with it thou canst win all things, however poor thou art, but without it thou canst obtain nothing. "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Daily Light on the Daily Path Acts 3:26 "For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Romans 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Titus 2:13,14 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, • who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. 1 Peter 1:15,16 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; • because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, Colossians 2:9,10 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, • and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; John 1:16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 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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