Bible League: Living His Word He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.— Psalm 126:6 ESV Seasons of life can be like the four seasons of the year. For example, winter can represent a cold and dreary period of your life. It's just not the right time to start anything. There's no life anywhere and there's nothing you can do about it yet. Indeed, if you jumped the gun and tried to plant something, it would surely die. Instead, you just have to patiently go through it. The best you can do is get yourself ready for spring when things begin to warm up. Then it happens. Spring comes and the time is right. It's time to get moving and get things started. It's a good time, a time of promise; however, it is also the time when you have to risk everything. It's not the time of reaping; it's the time of sowing. You have to take from what you have, no matter how little it is, and sow it into the ground. You have to rob the present in order to fund the future. That's why the sower in our verse for today goes out weeping. He's investing a lot in a venture with no guarantee. It takes faith to be a sower. If that were not enough, you have to wait. There's no immediate reward. There's no return on investment right away. Instead, you must wait for the seeds to sprout and grow. You must go through the summer period of life when all you do is tend to your investment. It's hard work. It's hot outside and the work can be backbreaking, and it drags on for what seems like a lifetime. Would that the summer period of life lasted only a literal summer! Why can't the Lord speed things up? After all, He's God, and He can do anything. The Lord, of course, has His own timetable as your summer drags on. Nevertheless, seasons don't last forever. They may take longer than we would like, but they always give way to the next one in line. Autumn comes. Your winter, spring, and summer periods of life are finally paying off. You trusted God and took the leap of faith. You invested your very life, and the time has come. The time has come to reap. The time has come to bring home the sheaves with shouts of joy. Give thanks to the Lord of harvest. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingIsaiah 39, 40 Isaiah 39 -- Hezekiah Reveals Treasures to Babylonians NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 40 -- Comfort, comfort my people NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Philippians 4 Philippians 4 -- Whatever is true and right, think on these things; I can do all things through Christ NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.” When people commend themselves, it doesn't count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.Insight When we do something well, we want to tell others and be recognized. But recognition is dangerous—it can lead to inflated pride. How much better it is to seek the praise of God rather than the praise of people. Then, when we receive praise, we will be free to give God the credit. Challenge What should you change about the way you live in order to receive God's commendation? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Luke 5:4 Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.We learn from this narrative, the necessity of human agency. The draught of fishes was miraculous, yet neither the fisherman nor his boat, nor his fishing tackle were ignored; but all were used to take the fishes. So in the saving of souls, God worketh by means; and while the present economy of grace shall stand, God will be pleased by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. When God worketh without instruments, doubtless he is glorified; but he hath himself selected the plan of instrumentality as being that by which he is most magnified in the earth. Means of themselves are utterly unavailing. "Master, we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing." What was the reason of this? Were they not fishermen plying their special calling? Verily, they were no raw hands; they understood the work. Had they gone about the toil unskilfully? No. Had they lacked industry? No, they had toiled. Had they lacked perseverance? No, they had toiled all the night. Was there a deficiency of fish in the sea? Certainly not, for as soon as the Master came, they swam to the net in shoals. What, then, is the reason? Is it because there is no power in the means of themselves apart from the presence of Jesus? "Without him we can do nothing." But with Christ we can do all things. Christ's presence confers success. Jesus sat in Peter's boat, and his will, by a mysterious influence, drew the fish to the net. When Jesus is lifted up in his Church, his presence is the Church's power--the shout of a king is in the midst of her. "I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." Let us go out this morning on our work of soul fishing, looking up in faith, and around us in solemn anxiety. Let us toil till night comes, and we shall not labor in vain, for he who bids us let down the net, will fill it with fishes. Daily Light on the Daily Path Hebrews 13:6 so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"Romans 8:35,37 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? • But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. Luke 12:4,5 "I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. • "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. • "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. • "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Acts 20:24 "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. Psalm 119:46 I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings And shall not be ashamed. 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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