Bible League: Living His Word The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.— Romans 13:12 NLT It's still dark, but it's getting brighter. It's still night, but the morning light is just about ready to make its appearance. You can tell because Jesus Christ, the bright morning star (Revelation 22:16), is already shining with the Father in the bright light of heaven, where He said He would be (John 14:28). Soon, however, He will return to the earth bringing all the blazing light of heaven with Him. When He does, the light will defeat every bit of darkness that is left on earth. When He does, the darkness won't stand a chance. The figures signify that the present era—the time between Jesus Christ's first appearance and His second appearance—is drawing to a close. It's been drawing to a close ever since Paul wrote his letter to the Roman church. Indeed, it's been drawing to a close ever since Jesus left and the Holy Spirit took His place (John 16:7). The enlightenment of the Gospel is what's doing it. It's been dispelling the darkness of sinful ignorance all over the world. So, it's just a question of time. The darkness of sin may try to reassert itself, may try to delay the inevitable arrival of Jesus Christ, but it cannot possibly succeed. You need to be ready. You need to be ready for that glorious day. You don't want to be surprised by Jesus with any dirty clothes of dark deeds. Rather, you'll want to greet Him in your shining armor of right living. After all, you're a child of the light and the day. You don't belong to the darkness and the night anymore (1 Thessalonians 5:5). It's only fitting that you should greet Jesus with the shining armor you've been wearing to battle the darkness. It's only fitting that you should have it on so you're ready to join Him in the final and ultimate battle (Revelation 17:14). Put on, then, your shining armor. Put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:13—17). Put them on because that final battle will soon be here. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingEzekiel 38, 39 Ezekiel 38 -- The Malice of Gog NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Ezekiel 39 -- God's Judgment upon Gog and Israel's Victory NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 Peter 4 1 Peter 4 -- Living for Christ and Partaking in His Sufferings NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion You will fold them up like a cloakand discard them like old clothing. But you are always the same; you will live forever. Insight What does it mean that Christ is changeless (“you are always the same”)? It means that Christ's character will never change. He persistently shows his love to us. He is always fair, just, and merciful to us who are so undeserving. Challenge Be thankful that Christ is changeless—he will always help you when you need it and offer forgiveness when you fall. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Zechariah 3:1 Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord.In Joshua the high priest we see a picture of each and every child of God, who has been made nigh by the blood of Christ, and has been taught to minister in holy things, and enter into that which is within the veil. Jesus has made us priests and kings unto God, and even here upon earth we exercise the priesthood of consecrated living and hallowed service. But this high priest is said to be "standing before the angel of the Lord," that is, standing to minister. This should be the perpetual position of every true believer. Every place is now God's temple, and his people can as truly serve him in their daily employments as in his house. They are to be always "ministering," offering the spiritual sacrifice of prayer and praise, and presenting themselves a "living sacrifice." But notice where it is that Joshua stands to minister, it is before the angel of Jehovah. It is only through a mediator that we poor defiled ones can ever become priests unto God. I present what I have before the messenger, the angel of the covenant, the Lord Jesus; and through him my prayers find acceptance wrapped up in his prayers; my praises become sweet as they are bound up with bundles of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia from Christ's own garden. If I can bring him nothing but my tears, he will put them with his own tears in his own bottle for he once wept; if I can bring him nothing but my groans and sighs, he will accept these as an acceptable sacrifice, for he once was broken in heart, and sighed heavily in spirit. I myself, standing in him, am accepted in the Beloved; and all my polluted works, though in themselves only objects of divine abhorrence, are so received, that God smelleth a sweet savour. He is content and I am blessed. See, then, the position of the Christian--"a priest--standing--before the angel of the Lord." Daily Light on the Daily Path John 17:22 "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;Isaiah 6:1-3 In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. • Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. • And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." John 12:41 These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him. Ezekiel 1:26,28 Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. • As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. Exodus 33:18,20 Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!" • But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!" John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 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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