It is Your Life! – Blackaby devotional (20091019)
Filed under: Blackaby Devotionals, Devotionals, Inspirational, Scripture
For it is not a futile thing for you,because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days in the land, which you cross over the Jordan to possess.
Deuteronomy 32:47
It’s puzzling that so many Christians try to live the Christian life without reading their Bible, except for sporadic perusals of God’s Word, seeking
a pithy thought for the day. The Word of God is not merely a source of helpful suggestions, preventative warnings, or inspirational thoughts: It is life itself!
God gathered the children of Israel at the edge of the Promised Land to review their pilgrimage with Him. They had spent forty years in a desert because their parents had not trusted God’s Word. Their parents died without seeing the Promised Land because they had not believed God’s Word. Even the revered Moses was soon to leave them because he had not shown proper reverence for God’s Word. Many of them knew those who had been put to death as a consequence of their disobedience to God’s Word. Over the years God’s Word had become the most important thing in the life of the Israelites.
God commanded His people to bind His words on their hearts, to teach them diligently to their children, and to regularly discuss them in their homes. (Deuteronomy. 6:4-9). So essential was His Word that it was to hold a prominent place in the daily lives of His people.
Our reverence for God’s Word is revealed not only by what we say but also by what we do. Spending more time reading and studying the words of people rather than the Word of God, reveals our hearts’ condition. To blatantly disregard God’s Word is to reject life itself. To obey God’s Word is the surest way to experience all that God has in store for us.
Henry and Richard Blackaby
Experiencing God Day-by-Day
MacArthur devotional – 20091014
Trusting God’s Word
The law of the Lord is perfect. . . . The commandment of the Lord is pure. . . . The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether" (Psalm 19:7- 9).
Infallibility refers to the truth of Scripture as a whole, whereas inerrancy focuses on the accuracy of every single word. Like inerrancy, infallibility is grounded in the character of God. God cannot lie and does not change (1 Samuel 15:29). He is thoroughly consistent in everything He does, and His Word reflects those characteristics. The psalmist wrote, "The sum of Thy word is truth, and every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting" (Psalm 119:160). Paul said, "The Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good" (Romans 7:12).
Jesus said He didn’t come to abolish the law or the prophets (sections of the Old Testament) but to fulfill them. He promised that everything in Scripture will be fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-18). John 10:35 declares that the authority of Scripture "cannot be broken." It is binding and cannot be destroyed, abolished, or done away with. God’s Word is indestructible, authoritative, and infallible.
On a practical level, infallibility means that you can trust the Bible. It will never deceive you or give you counsel that will later prove to be erroneous. That was the confidence of the psalmist when he wrote, "Establish Thy word to Thy servant, as that which produces reverence for Thee. Turn away my reproach which I dread, for Thine ordinances are good.
"Behold, I long for Thy precepts; revive me through Thy righteousness. May Thy lovingkindnesses also come to me, O Lord, Thy salvation according to Thy word; so I shall have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Thy word. And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I wait for Thine ordinances. So I will keep Thy law continually, forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Thy precepts. I will also speak of Thy testimonies before kings, and shall not be ashamed. And I shall delight in Thy commandments, which I love" (Psalm 119:38- 47).
May that be your confidence as well. Suggestions for Prayer:
Praise God that His Word is utterly trustworthy.
For Further Study: Memorize Psalm 119:165 as a reminder of the infallibility of God’s Word.
Examine your examination
Filed under: Bible Study, Commentary, Scripture, Something to think about, humor
Following is a video, article and Podcast that I ran across in the past few days that all remind me of the above message from the Apostle Paul to the Church of Corinth. The verse, 2nd Corinthians 13:5, addresses faith and I think carries an implication of doctrinal discernment as well.
Up first, E. Barrett of R3 shares a humorous video with a serious message about Christian theology. I especially appreciated RockTV’s jab - calling it out, so to speak, of false gospels that are “preached” and superstar “pastors” among other things.
Up next… a post by Sam Guzman of Crosstalk Blog Guzman takes a look at the social “gospel” and money, timely I think, considering Monday’s post.
The third and final resource comes from the 12 October Podcast at Fighting for the Faith where host Chris Rosebrough also weighs in on social justice and other issues (50:00).
Hope you all enjoy.
Grace and peace be with you.
K9 quote & more
One reason why a dog is such a loveable creature is that his tail wags instead of his tongue.
James 3:3-6
3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Grace and peace be with you
Godliness and Persecution – Blackaby devotional
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
2nd Timothy 3:12
Living a godly life will not insulate you from hardship. Paul said that the more blameless your life, the more likely you will be persecuted. According to Paul, "evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse" (2nd Timothy 3:13). 
As the world increasingly embraces sin, worldly people are becoming increasingly intolerant of godliness. Darkness cannot tolerate light; the more your life illuminates the presence of Christ, the more you should expect opposition from the forces of darkness. Your Christlike nature will be offensive to those in rebellion against Christ’s Lordship.
You may have recently repented of your sin and taken a new step of obedience to God. Perhaps you expected to experience God’s blessing immediately as He demonstrated His approval of your obedience. Instead, you were met with opposition. The persecution may have come even from other Christians who misunderstood your motives. Perhaps you obeyed God, and still your actions were met with criticism instead of praise.
If you are sincerely following the Lord’s direction, don’t be discouraged. Paul warned that those who seek to live godly lives will suffer persecution. Do not be surprised when this happens to you. If the world crucified the Son of God, surely the world will be hostile to anyone who lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. Persecution may be the best evidence that your life is like that of Christ. Jesus warned that the world hated Him, the Savior, and so it would certainly misunderstand and mistreat His disciples (John 15:18).
Henry and Richard Blackaby
Experiencing God Day-by-Day
