Bible League: Living His Word Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.Our verse for today teaches that there are two fundamental ways that we can live life. We can choose to live a life of our own on our own terms, or we can choose to live a life in service to Jesus Christ and his Kingdom. Whichever fundamental choice we make has fundamental repercussions. If we choose to live a life of our own on our own terms, then we will lose our lives. The person who makes this choice has decided that what comes first in life is his own person and his own interests. Instead of placing priority on Jesus and His Kingdom, they place priority on themselves and their own fleshly desires. They have lost sight of the true meaning and purpose of life and, as a consequence, they are forced to find meaning and purpose in things that can never fully satisfy them. Although they may gain these things and even the world as a whole, they lose their own souls (Mark 8:36). They lose their lives in the next life and they lose them in this life as well by wasting them on meaningless, self-serving endeavors. If we choose to live a life in service to Jesus Christ and his Kingdom, on the other hand, then we will find our lives. The person who makes this choice has decided that what comes first in life is Jesus Christ and his Kingdom. Instead of placing priority on themselves and their own fleshly desires, they place priority on what Jesus wants. They have found the true meaning and purpose of life and, as a consequence, they no longer need to make futile quests to find meaning and purpose in things that can never satisfy them. Although they may lose the world and the things of the world, they gain their own souls. Indeed, they may even lose their lives as martyrs in service to Jesus, but they find eternal life. Apart from Christ, the search for meaning and purpose in life is a futile and frustrating quest that ends in nothing other than, as King Solomon put it, a meaningless "chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 2:11). On a regular basis we should take stock of what we do and why we do it. We should regularly ask ourselves if what we do is done in service to the King, or in service to our own selfish wants and desires. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Chronicles 11, 12, 13 1 Chronicles 11 -- David Reigns over All Israel; Conquers Jerusalem with His Mighty Men NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 12 -- David's Supporters at Ziklag and Hebron NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 13 -- Bringing Back the Ark NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 9:1-23 John 9 -- Jesus Heals a Blind Man; Pharisees Question His Authority; Jesus Affirms He Is the Son of God NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion That is why the LORD says,“Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don't tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Insight God told the people to turn to him while there was still time. Destruction would soon be upon them. Challenge Time is also running out for us. Because we don't know when our lives will end, we should trust and obey God now, while we can. Don't let anything hold you back from turning to him. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 66:20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer.In looking back upon the character of our prayers, if we do it honestly, we shall be filled with wonder that God has ever answered them. There may be some who think their prayers worthy of acceptance--as the Pharisee did; but the true Christian, in a more enlightened retrospect, weeps over his prayers, and if he could retrace his steps he would desire to pray more earnestly. Remember, Christian, how cold thy prayers have been. When in thy closet thou shouldst have wrestled as Jacob did; but instead thereof, thy petitions have been faint and few--far removed from that humble, believing, persevering faith, which cries, "I will not let thee go except thou bless me." Yet, wonderful to say, God has heard these cold prayers of thine, and not only heard, but answered them. Reflect also, how infrequent have been thy prayers, unless thou hast been in trouble, and then thou hast gone often to the mercy-seat: but when deliverance has come, where has been thy constant supplication? Yet, notwithstanding thou hast ceased to pray as once thou didst, God has not ceased to bless. When thou hast neglected the mercy-seat, God has not deserted it, but the bright light of the Shekinah has always been visible between the wings of the cherubim. Oh! it is marvellous that the Lord should regard those intermittent spasms of importunity which come and go with our necessities. What a God is he thus to hear the prayers of those who come to him when they have pressing wants, but neglect him when they have received a mercy; who approach him when they are forced to come, but who almost forget to address him when mercies are plentiful and sorrows are few. Let his gracious kindness in hearing such prayers touch our hearts, so that we may henceforth be found "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit." Daily Light on the Daily Path Ephesians 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.Romans 15:30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Isaiah 63:9,10 In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old. • But they rebelled And grieved His Holy Spirit; Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them. 1 John 4:13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. Ephesians 1:13,14 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, • who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. Galatians 5:16,17 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. • For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 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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