For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
If we do not use what resources we can to help those in greater need than ourselves the day will come when we are in need and no one will help us. What goes around, comes around. Let us never forget to help those whose need is greater than our own.
The beginning of this psalm is such a great expression of how I wish to approach life:
I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord;
let all who are helpless take heart.
There are times when I allow things in this life to distract me from praising God, I strive to make those occasions ever fewer because this next is also true:
He freed me from all my fears.
The psalmist tells us to “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” If you want to know that God is real and that He is good, you need to live as if you believe that He is real and good. If you assume that God is real, and live your life accordingly, before long He will show you that He is indeed real.
In Christ, Paul was made free. He was no longer bound to any particular pattern of behavior. He was free to act as he chose. Yet he chose to live by the standard of goodness recognized by those among whom he found himself. He did not hold himself up as better than they because he was a Christian. Instead he demonstrated how Christ had a message, even for such as they. Paul found common ground with those he found himself among so that he could bring them the Gospel message. Let us strive to do the same.
Paul was willing to do whatever it took to reach unbelievers with the word of God. Are we willing to do the same? Let us seek out those who have not yet heard the Gospel and live our lives among them, as one of them. What will it take to reach the unbelievers nearest you? Are you willing to do it? Am I?
Nehemiah summed up the history of the people of Israel, with emphasis made to God’s offering them chances time and again to serve Him. Once more God was offering them a chance to serve Him and be an example of faithfulness and justice in the world. The leaders of the people created and signed a covenant to follow God’s law, particularly the laws regarding the Sabbath Year. The people then made a solemn vow to bind themselves to the same covenant. They recognized that God had brought them back to the land He had promised their ancestors, giving them a chance once more to be faithful to Him. When God redeems us from the consequences of our sins, do we recognize that He has given us another chance to be faithful to Him? Do we dedicate ourselves to doing so?