Bible League: Living His Word We told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. We told you about his coming. The things we told you were not just clever stories that people invented. No, we saw the greatness of Jesus with our own eyes.When it comes to scientifically discovering the nature of the fundamental existential situation we find ourselves in as human beings we are in a decidedly unfavorable position. The universe we live within is like a box that contains us and that prevents us from directly experiencing who or what set up the box in the first place. In order to directly experience that, it would be necessary for us to exit the box in some way in order to discover what lies behind it all. This, of course, is not possible. Given the inability of science to answer our most fundamental questions, religion and faith must step in to do the job. Even philosophical apologetics cannot help us, because all it can do is make arguments in defense of religious positions that have already been accepted by faith. We are dependent, then, upon religion and faith whether we want to be or not. In this regard, there are two basic religious options that people can choose from. We can accept divine revelation or we can accept human religious speculation – pagan, pantheistic, or secular speculation. The Apostle Peter rejected the second of these options. From his point of view, they are nothing more than "clever stories that people invented." The Apostle Paul goes even farther and bluntly identifies the spiritual motivation behind these stories. He says they are the "teaching of demons" (I Timothy 4:1). After all, if divine revelation from outside the universe is rejected there is no other alternative other than human speculation from inside the universe that is inspired by deceiving demons who know better. Peter accepted the first option. He rejected the clever stories and accepted Jesus Christ as a true revelation of God, the source and origin of the universe. He saw the power and greatness of Jesus and he accepted him in faith as the son of God. Indeed, he even heard the very voice of God Himself come down from the beyond and proclaim that Jesus was His son (II Peter 1:17-18). There are a lot of clever stories out there about the source of the universe. Jesus, however, actually revealed Him to us. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingProverbs 13, 14 Proverbs 13 -- A wise son listens to his father's instruction, but a scoffer doesn't listen NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Proverbs 14 -- Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 Corinthians 16 1 Corinthians 16 -- Gifts, Requests and Greetings NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God—something the law of Moses could never do.Insight This is the Good News of the gospel: that forgiveness of sins and freedom from guilt are available through faith in Christ to all people—including you. Challenge Have you received this forgiveness? Are you refreshed by it each day? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Hosea 14:8 From me is thy fruit found.Our fruit is found from our God as to union. The fruit of the branch is directly traceable to the root. Sever the connection, the branch dies, and no fruit is produced. By virtue of our union with Christ we bring forth fruit. Every bunch of grapes has been first in the root, it has passed through the stem, and flowed through the sap vessels, and fashioned itself externally into fruit, but it was first in the stem; so also every good work was first in Christ, and then is brought forth in us. O Christian, prize this precious union to Christ; for it must be the source of all the fruitfulness which thou canst hope to know. If thou wert not joined to Jesus Christ, thou wouldst be a barren bough indeed. Our fruit comes from God as to spiritual providence. When the dew-drops fall from heaven, when the cloud looks down from on high, and is about to distil its liquid treasure, when the bright sun swells the berries of the cluster, each heavenly boon may whisper to the tree and say, "From me is thy fruit found." The fruit owes much to the root--that is essential to fruitfulness--but it owes very much also to external influences. How much we owe to God's grace-providence! in which he provides us constantly with quickening, teaching, consolation, strength, or whatever else we want. To this we owe our all of usefulness or virtue. Our fruit comes from God as to wise husbandry. The gardener's sharp-edged knife promotes the fruitfulness of the tree, by thinning the clusters, and by cutting off superfluous shoots. So is it, Christian, with that pruning which the Lord gives to thee. "My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." Since our God is the author of our spiritual graces, let us give to him all the glory of our salvation. Daily Light on the Daily Path Daniel 5:27 "'TEKEL '-- you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.1 Samuel 2:3 "Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the LORD is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed. Luke 16:15 And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God. 1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." Galatians 6:7,8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. • For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Matthew 16:26 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Philippians 3:7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Psalm 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Psalm 17:3 You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. 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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