Bible League: Living His Word "... And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."— John 6:63 NLT The words that Jesus spoke during His life on earth are, as He says in our verse for today, "spirit." What does this mean? It means that His words are born of the Holy Spirit. It means that the Holy Spirit of God is the power behind them. As such, they are dynamic, having the power to change the direction of a person's soul and whole life (Proverbs 4:23). Apart from Jesus' words, people move in a sinful spiritual direction set by Satan. When they believe Jesus' words, on the other hand, they receive the Holy Spirit and begin to move in the direction set by the Holy Spirit. Jesus' words can save people from the clutches of Satan. The words Jesus spoke are also "life." What does this mean? It means that His words, which are born of the Holy Spirit of God, impart spiritual life to those who receive them. Moving in the spiritual direction of Satan is the way of death, ending in eternal death and destruction—the pit of hell. Jesus' words, however, can stop that from happening. When they are accepted in faith, a person passes over from death to life (John 5:24). Instead of walking in the way of death, they begin to walk in the way of life guided by the Holy Spirit. Instead of eternal death and destruction, they have abundant and eternal life. Those who believe the words of Jesus have an obligation to share them with others (Mark 16:15). After all, it would be wrong to keep something that good to yourself. This sharing can happen in a variety of ways. It may be simply passing out tracts and Bibles. It may be personally sharing His words on a one-on-one basis. It may be preaching and teaching His words to a gathering of people. No matter how it happens, you can be sure that the words you share will benefit those who receive them. God's Word is never wasted (Isaiah 55:11). Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingIsaiah 53, 54, 55 Isaiah 53 -- The Suffering Servant: by his stripes we are healed NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 54 -- Future Glory of Zion NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 55 -- Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 Thessalonians 2 1 Thessalonians 2 -- Paul's Ministry and Longing to See the Thessalonians NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Is there a conflict, then, between God's law and God's promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God's promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.Insight Before faith in Christ delivered us, we were imprisoned by sin, beaten down by past mistakes, and choked by desires that we knew were wrong. God knew we were sin's prisoners, but he provided a way of escape—faith in Jesus Christ Challenge Without Christ, everyone is held in sin's grasp, and only those who place their faith in Christ ever get out of it. Look to Christ—he is reaching out to set you free. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Philippians 3:8 I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.Spiritual knowledge of Christ will be a personal knowledge. I cannot know Jesus through another person's acquaintance with him. No, I must know him myself; I must know him on my own account. It will be an intelligent knowledge--I must know him, not as the visionary dreams of him, but as the Word reveals him. I must know his natures, divine and human. I must know his offices--his attributes--his works--his shame--his glory. I must meditate upon him until I "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." It will be an affectionate knowledge of him; indeed, if I know him at all, I must love him. An ounce of heart knowledge is worth a ton of head learning. Our knowledge of him will be a satisfying knowledge. When I know my Saviour, my mind will be full to the brim--I shall feel that I have that which my spirit panted after. "This is that bread whereof if a man eat he shall never hunger." At the same time it will be an exciting knowledge; the more I know of my Beloved, the more I shall want to know. The higher I climb the loftier will be the summits which invite my eager footsteps. I shall want the more as I get the more. Like the miser's treasure, my gold will make me covet more. To conclude; this knowledge of Christ Jesus will be a most happy one; in fact, so elevating, that sometimes it will completely bear me up above all trials, and doubts, and sorrows; and it will, while I enjoy it, make me something more than "Man that is born of woman, who is of few days, and full of trouble;" for it will fling about me the immortality of the ever living Saviour, and gird me with the golden girdle of his eternal joy. Come, my soul, sit at Jesus's feet and learn of him all this day. Daily Light on the Daily Path Romans 14:9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.Isaiah 53:10,11 But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. • As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Luke 24:26 "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" 2 Corinthians 5:14,15 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; • and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Acts 2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-- this Jesus whom you crucified." 1 Peter 1:20,21 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you • who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 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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