Morning, March 9
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Bible League: Living His Word
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

After the death of Moses, Joshua was given the task of leading the people of Israel into the Promised Land. Like Joshua, all of us that are in Christ Jesus have a task that we are called to perform. It may not be as great as Joshua's task, but it is a task from God nonetheless. In some way, shape, or form, we are called to advance and develop the Kingdom of God---the New Testament equivalent of the Promised Land.

In our verse for today, God commands Joshua not to be afraid or dismayed. Given his task of having to conquer the inhabitants of the Promised Land, there would be plenty of opportunity for fear and dismay on Joshua's part. As with Joshua, there will always be plenty of opportunity for fear and dismay on our part as well. Advancing the Kingdom of God incurs the opposition of the enemy and the enemy is one who likes to "steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10).

Joshua was encouraged by God in his task in two ways. First, he was assured by God that God Himself had commanded him to take on the task. Joshua need not allow self-doubt as to his call enter the picture. Second, God assured Joshua that He would be with him. Joshua knew that, come what may, God was there to help him complete the task. So likewise, we can be assured that God has called us to our task and that He will be with us helping us to complete it. We should not allow self-doubt and fear hinder the completion of our task.

Today, as you get ready to go about the task or tasks God has given you to sustain, maintain, and advance His Kingdom, remember Joshua. There is probably nothing you are going to face today that will surpass the challenges he had to face, yet God commanded him not to be afraid or dismayed. Thus, do not be afraid and do not be dismayed.

After all, has He not also commanded you?

Bible in a Year
Old Testament Reading
Deuteronomy 8, 9, 10


Deuteronomy 8 -- God's Mercy

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Deuteronomy 9 -- Reminders of God's Grace; The Golden Calf

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Deuteronomy 10 -- Rewriting of Stone Tablets Recalled

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


New Testament Reading
Mark 12:28-44


Mark 12 -- The Parable of the Tenants; Render to Caesar; Marriage at the Resurrection; Greatest Commandment; Widow's Offering

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library.
Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
        go into his courts with praise.
        Give thanks to him and praise his name.
Insight
This psalm tells us to remember God's goodness and dependability, and then to worship with thanksgiving and praise!
Challenge
God alone is worthy of being worshiped. What is your attitude toward worship? Do you willingly and joyfully come into God's presence, or are you just going through the motions, reluctantly going to church?
Morning and Evening by Spurgeon
Songs 5:16  Yea, he is altogether lovely.

The superlative beauty of Jesus is all-attracting; it is not so much to be admired as to be loved. He is more than pleasant and fair, he is lovely. Surely the people of God can fully justify the use of this golden word, for he is the object of their warmest love, a love founded on the intrinsic excellence of his person, the complete perfection of his charms. Look, O disciples of Jesus, to your Master's lips, and say, "Are they not most sweet?" Do not his words cause your hearts to burn within you as he talks with you by the way? Ye worshippers of Immanuel, look up to his head of much fine gold, and tell me, are not his thoughts precious unto you? Is not your adoration sweetened with affection as ye humbly bow before that countenance which is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars? Is there not a charm in his every feature, and is not his whole person fragrant with such a savour of his good ointments, that therefore the virgins love him? Is there one member of his glorious body which is not attractive?--one portion of his person which is not a fresh lodestone to our souls?--one office which is not a strong cord to bind your heart? Our love is not as a seal set upon his heart of love alone; it is fastened upon his arm of power also; nor is there a single part of him upon which it does not fix itself. We anoint his whole person with the sweet spikenard of our fervent love. His whole life we would imitate; his whole character we would transcribe. In all other beings we see some lack, in him there is all perfection. The best even of his favored saints have had blots upon their garments and wrinkles upon their brows; he is nothing but loveliness. All earthly suns have their spots: the fair world itself hath its wilderness; we cannot love the whole of the most lovely thing; but Christ Jesus is gold without alloy-light without darkness--glory without cloud--"Yea, he is altogether lovely."

Daily Light on the Daily Path
1 Timothy 6:17  Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.

Deuteronomy 8:11,12,14,18  "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; • otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, • then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. • "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Psalm 127:1,2  A Song of Ascents, of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. • It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

Psalm 44:3  For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, For You favored them.

Psalm 4:6  Many are saying, "Who will show us any good?" Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O LORD!

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.

Evening March 8
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