Bible League: Living His Word And because you belong to Christ you are complete, having everything you need.In Galatians 5:17 the Apostle Paul speaks of the spiritual struggle between the Spirit of Christ Jesus that dwells within us and our sinful spiritual state. He says, "The sinful self wants what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against the sinful self. They are always fighting against each other." Under the instigation of Satan, one of the things that the sinful spiritual self wants is to convince us that we are incomplete in some way. The idea it tries to foster is that what we do and who we are is never enough. There is always more that we could have done and there is always more that we could be. The sinful spiritual self never seems to be satisfied. It is always frustrated because we always fall short of its self-aggrandizing expectations. This deep sense of being spiritually incomplete in some way forces us to search for something that will fill us up and make us whole. The sinful self is always working in its own power and its own strength to fulfill its vainglorious desires. Although we search hard for that something that will fulfill us and make us complete, we never seem to find what we are looking for. Whatever we try to do in life fails to alleviate the spiritual hollowness. The Spirit of Christ Jesus that dwells within us fights against the spiritual sense of emptiness and incompleteness fostered by the sinful self. In Christ, we are spiritually complete. In Christ, we have the spiritual resources necessary to live the life God wants us to live. We have been given the Holy Spirit, gifts of the Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit in order to live the way God wants us to live. In Christ, the possibility exists to overcome the spiritual emptiness of our sinful selves. Thus, we don't have to allow the sinful self to torment us with its incessant demands for more. We don't have to make ourselves whole and we don't have to fill the emptiness, for we are complete in Christ. No matter what state we are in and what stage of life we occupy, we have the spiritual resources necessary to please God and make Him happy, right then and there. Today, then, put an end to the striving for completeness that can never succeed and take your rest in the completeness you already have in Christ Jesus. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingIsaiah 65, 66 Isaiah 65 -- Judgment; Salvation; New heavens and a New earth NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 66 -- Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; Rejoice with Jerusalem NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 2 Thessalonians 1 2 Thessalonians 1 -- Thanksgiving for Faith, Love, and Patience NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!Insight The fruit of the Spirit is the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit in us. The Spirit produces these character traits that are found in the nature of Christ. They are the by-products of Christ's control—we can't obtain them by trying to get them without his help. Challenge If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must join our lives to his. We must know him, love him, remember him, and imitate him. As a result, we will fulfill the intended purpose of the law—to love God and our neighbors. Which of these qualities do you want the Spirit to produce in you? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 65:11 Thy paths drop fatness.Many are "the paths of the Lord" which "drop fatness," but an especial one is the path of prayer. No believer, who is much in the closet, will have need to cry, "My leanness, my leanness; woe unto me." Starving souls live at a distance from the mercy- seat, and become like the parched fields in times of drought. Prevalence with God in wrestling prayer is sure to make the believer strong--if not happy. The nearest place to the gate of heaven is the throne of the heavenly grace. Much alone, and you will have much assurance; little alone with Jesus, your religion will be shallow, polluted with many doubts and fears, and not sparkling with the joy of the Lord. Since the soul-enriching path of prayer is open to the very weakest saint; since no high attainments are required; since you are not bidden to come because you are an advanced saint, but freely invited if you be a saint at all; see to it, dear reader, that you are often in the way of private devotion. Be much on your knees, for so Elijah drew the rain upon famished Israel's fields. There is another especial path dropping with fatness to those who walk therein, it is the secret walk of communion. Oh! the delights of fellowship with Jesus! Earth hath no words which can set forth the holy calm of a soul leaning on Jesus' bosom. Few Christians understand it, they live in the lowlands and seldom climb to the top of Nebo: they live in the outer court, they enter not the holy place, they take not up the privilege of priesthood. At a distance they see the sacrifice, but they sit not down with the priest to eat thereof, and to enjoy the fat of the burnt offering. But, reader, sit thou ever under the shadow of Jesus; come up to that palm tree, and take hold of the branches thereof; let thy beloved be unto thee as the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, and thou shalt be satisfied as with marrow and fatness. O Jesus, visit us with thy salvation! Daily Light on the Daily Path John 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.Exodus 24:8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words." Leviticus 17:11 'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.' Hebrews 10:4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Mark 14:24 And He said to them, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Hebrews 9:12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Colossians 1:20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 1 Peter 1:18-20 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, • but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. • For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you Ezekiel 36:25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 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. |
Click for Video Devotionals     |