Bible League: Living His Word Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me.Every Christian takes up a specific role in the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ and has struggles as a result. The struggles that the Apostle Paul had in mind in our verse for today were struggles he anticipated having when he returned to Jerusalem to deliver a donation for the poor Christians there. He was concerned about struggles he might have with "those in Judea who refuse to obey God" (Romans 15:31). Christians who have struggles, however, should not have to struggle alone. Every Christian is a member of the body of Christ and the members of the body should be concerned for one another. Paul himself had concern for others. He said, "I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?" (II Corinthians 11:28-29). Given our concern, we should do what we can to alleviate the struggles of those who are having them. Put in Paul's words, we should "join in" the struggles of our fellow workers in Christ. There are many ways that we can join in the struggle. We can join in by helping with the actual ministry of those experiencing the struggles. We can join in by supporting their ministries financially. We can also join in by doing what Paul asked for in our verse – praying for those who are struggling. When the church joins in with prayer, powerful things can happen. Jesus said, "If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them" (Matthew 18:19-20). Indeed, prayer may be the most important way to join in the struggle. After all, in the final analysis our struggles are not against people, "but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). We need heaven's help if we are to overcome the opposition of powerful spiritual forces of evil. Thus, look beyond your own struggles to the struggles of your fellow workers in Christ. Pray for them. Pray that God will rescue them and deliver them. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingIsaiah 41, 42 Isaiah 41 -- God's Promises to Israel NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 42 -- Behold, my servant, whom I have chosen; A Song of Praise; Israel's Blindness NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Colossians 1 Colossians 1 -- Thankfulness and Prayers for the Colossians; Christ Is the Image of God NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen. Insight Many think that when God comforts us, our troubles should go away. But if that were always so, people would turn to God only out of a desire to be relieved of pain and not out of love for him. We must understand that being comforted can also mean receiving strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our troubles. The more we suffer, the more comfort God gives us. Challenge If you are feeling overwhelmed, allow God to comfort you. Remember that every trial you endure will help you comfort other people who are suffering similar troubles. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Jude 1:24 Able to keep you from falling.In some sense the path to heaven is very safe, but in other respects there is no road so dangerous. It is beset with difficulties. One false step (and how easy it is to take that if grace be absent), and down we go. What a slippery path is that which some of us have to tread! How many times have we to exclaim with the Psalmist, "My feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped." If we were strong, sure-footed mountaineers, this would not matter so much; but in ourselves, how weak we are! In the best roads we soon falter, in the smoothest paths we quickly stumble. These feeble knees of ours can scarcely support our tottering weight. A straw may throw us, and a pebble can wound us; we are mere children tremblingly taking our first steps in the walk of faith, our heavenly Father holds us by the arms or we should soon be down. Oh, if we are kept from falling, how must we bless the patient power which watches over us day by day! Think, how prone we are to sin, how apt to choose danger, how strong our tendency to cast ourselves down, and these reflections will make us sing more sweetly than we have ever done, "Glory be to him, who is able to keep us from falling." We have many foes who try to push us down. The road is rough and we are weak, but in addition to this, enemies lurk in ambush, who rush out when we least expect them, and labor to trip us up, or hurl us down the nearest precipice. Only an Almighty arm can preserve us from these unseen foes, who are seeking to destroy us. Such an arm is engaged for our defence. He is faithful that hath promised, and he is able to keep us from falling, so that with a deep sense of our utter weakness, we may cherish a firm belief in our perfect safety, and say, with joyful confidence, "Against me earth and hell combine, But on my side is power divine; Jesus is all, and he is mine!" Daily Light on the Daily Path Nehemiah 9:17 "They refused to listen, And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them; So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But You are a God of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness; And You did not forsake them.2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 1 Timothy 1:16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 2:4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? Joel 2:13 And rend your heart and not your garments." Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil. 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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