As we learned in the past year, to delight in the Lord requires spending time in His Word. Our new theme will focus on "Order My Steps In Thy Word" - a journey through Psalm 119.
The longest chapter of the Bible, Psalm 119 uses nearly every verse to refer to The Word of God. Within each of the 176 verses, we will discuss truths about the Scripture. The Bible Reading Schedule starts over again tomorrow. If you did not read all the way through last year, seek to start again this year. God will bless your effort as you spend time in His Word. At the beginning of each new year we begin to search for direction and guidance. Our steps become ordered by the Lord when we delight in His Word. "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any inquity have dominion over me." Psalm 119:133
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It is hard to believe our first daily devotional theme is completed! Thank you to those who read one day, several, or all 366 posts from 2016. We are grateful for how the Lord has used this project to bring us closer to Him!
Please pray with us about the possibility of putting "Delight Thyself Also In The Lord" in print sometime in 2017. We are excited to see what the Lord has in store. Continue delighting in Him as we begin the New Year! Please join us as we begin our new theme tomorrow. Genesis 5:21-24
“And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” In the entire canon of Scripture, only two people are mentioned to have walked with God, Enoch and Noah. To walk with God meant to have a constant and familiar relationship with Him. These men had faith in God and are both mentioned in the Hall of Faith with a familiar verse in between. Hebrews 11:5-7 “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” To walk with God is to have faith that pleases Him while coming to Him believing in Him while diligently seeking Him. “And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years” There are no coincidences within the Word of God. With the exception of leap years, our calendar year consists of 365 days. Enoch walked with God and lived 365 years. He serves as an example to us that we can walk with God every day. Psalm 119:1-2 “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.” Endeavor to walk with God every day. Walk with Him by spending time in His Word and His presence. Delighting in Him today, and every day. Bible Reading: Malachi | 1 John 5 Acts 20:24
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” The Apostle Paul recognized that his race was ending soon. He had served the Lord humbly since that day he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. There were many tears and temptations that he had to deal with along the way. He had enemies, yet he gave all that he had toward the work of the ministry. He taught the multitudes, both publicly and privately, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He did not know what lied ahead for him, but he was willing to endure whatever the Lord had in store. He made the choice to finish well. Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” We do not know what the ending of this year or the New Year ahead has in store, but the Lord does. There may be tears or temptations. We may even encounter some enemies, but we have a choice to make. Paul not only chose to finish his race, but he desired to finish it with joy while testifying of the Gospel of the grace of God. What will we allow to hinder us from being a Light for Christ? Paul did not let the hindrances he found along the way deter him from his God-given purpose, and neither should we. There will be discouragements, disappointments, and distractions; yet we can choose to follow Paul’s example and say, “But none of these things move me”. 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” Make the choice today to strive to finish well. Bible Reading: Zechariah 11-14 | 1 John 4 1 Peter 1:7
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” We must delight in His Word so that when our faith is tried, the Word will carry us through. When you feel “tried with fire”, allow the Word to comfort you. Psalm 119:92 “Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.” Our days are few and full of trouble. It is through the trial of our faith that we find the character of our faith. The fiery trial reveals in what or Who our faith dwells. 1 Corinthians 3:13 “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.” He is the Potter, and we are the clay. In the heat of the fire, the Word makes our faith come forth as a vessel of honor, more precious than gold. Job 23:10 “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Our trials give us opportunity to praise and honour the Lord, giving Him the glory He so rightfully deserves. Don’t waste your trial today. Allow your situation to reveal your faith in Him, while giving Him the glory despite the circumstance. God will get the glory, its up to us to allow our faith to come forth as gold so that it can be laid at His feet. 1 Peter 4:12-13 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” Bible Reading: Zechariah 8-10 | 1 John 3 Psalm 1:2
“But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” To delight in the Lord is to delight in His Word. A righteous man or woman desires to meditate upon the Scripture allowing the Word to guide them. When we delight in His Word, we will desire to know more of His Word. Psalm 119:16 “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.” When we delight in His Word, we will desire to obey Him. Psalm 40:8 “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” When we delight in His Word, we will acknowledge our need for Him. Psalm 119:92 “Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.” When we delight in His Word, we will desire to apply His Word to our lives. Psalm 112:1 “Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.” Throughout this year we have delighted in Him through His Word. May we continue to delight in His Word today and every day. Bible Reading: Zechariah 4-7 | 1 John 2 Philippians 3:10
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” To know Christ should be the ultimate goal of any Christian. Knowing Christ is more than just knowing about Him. It is knowing about Him and finding out what you know about Him is true. Knowing Him begins with believing in Him. Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” There is power in knowing Him. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside every truly born again Christian. Paul wanted to know what if felt like to not only live a crucified life, but a resurrected life. He longed to not be in bondage to the flesh and have victory over sin. He wanted the power of Christ to be evident in his life. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” There is fellowship in knowing Him. We cannot know Him without knowing what is like to suffer. Paul wanted to know Him so much that he was willing to suffer for Him. Although Paul asked three times that his thorn in his flesh be removed, Christ saw fit that it was better for Paul to suffer. The thorn allowed Paul to know Christ more. If we desire to know Christ, we must follow Paul’s example. We can find His strength in our weakness. Allow Christ to use the thorns of your life to bring you closer to Him today. “That I may know him…” Bible Reading: Zechariah 1-3 | 1 John 1 | Psalm 150 Philippians 3:7-9
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” Christmas reminds us of where our story began. Jesus came to die so that we could find life in Him. To be found, something must first be lost. It is easy to focus on what we have lost or maybe even never received. The devil knows our weaknesses and exploits them. He wants us to dwell on the things we do not have so that we are distracted from our purpose in Christ and knowing Him. Paul had come to realize that every thing he had lost was worth the joy of knowing Christ and being found in Him. Mark 8:34-37 “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” We must daily die to our flesh and its desires in order to follow Christ. Every day we have a choice to live for ourselves or for Him. It is only when we exchange our will for His that we truly begin to live. Christ gave His life so that we could find ours in Him. Be found in Him today. Bible Reading: Haggai | 2 Peter 3 | Psalm 149 Luke 2:11-14
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” God gave His Son to be born for you. God gave His Son to give His life for you. God gave. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” We exchange presents on Christmas because God gave us the greatest Gift through the giving of His Son, Jesus Christ, the Christ of Christmas. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God’s greatest Gift is not for only a select group, but is available to anyone who will receive Him. For unto you. Whosoever will. Just like the gifts we receive today, this Gift is waiting to be received. God gave. Now we must give the Gospel to those around us, and they must decide whether to receive or reject Him. Why do we celebrate Christmas? Because “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” Without Jesus there would be no Christmas. Celebrate with family, friends, and your church family today. Celebrate Him. Happy Birthday to You, our Lord You spread Your love to the whole human race We are all nestled in Your sweet embrace You live in our hearts, so we sing to Your grace Happy Birthday to You, our Lord P. Zeller - E. Zeller Bible Reading: Zephaniah | 2 Peter 2 | Psalm 148 Luke 2:15-20
“And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.” The shepherds could have kept the glad tidings to themselves, but they chose to tell the Good News to many people. Those that heard it could not help but wonder at what the shepherds told them. They had seen the glory of the Lord shone round about them as the angel spoke peace from the sky. They heard a multitude of heavenly host praising God. They quickly journeyed to Bethlehem to find all that had been told to them was true. A Saviour had been born. Christ the Lord had come. They had seen Him lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes. Who wouldn’t want to share such wonderful news? What example the shepherds set for us! Yet every day we fail to make Christ known to those around us. We have a choice to make today: to tell of the Good News of the Gospel or keep it to ourselves. Scripture tells us that the shepherds returned to their field glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. When we share the Gospel, it will bring glory and praise to Him! Ephesians 1:12-14 “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Make Him known today! Bible Reading: Habakkuk | 2 Peter 1 | Psalm 147 |
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